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THE 



HERO MISSIONARY 



% gistorg of fbt fates 



REV. EUGENIO KINCAII). 



BY ALFRED S. PATTON, 

AITHOR OP "LI.GHT IN THE VALLEY," " MY JOY AND CROWN," ETC., KTC. 



The brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches.' 1 
2 Cor. vifi. 18. 

'• We live in deeds, not years ; in thoughts, not breaths ; 
In feelings, not in figures on a dial. 
We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives 
Wh s thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best." 




H. DAYTON, 101 NASSAU STREET; 

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. : DAYTON & ASHER. 

1858. 



I 



I 



mmt 



3V3Z7I 



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year i858, by 

H. DAYTON, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the 

Southern District of New York. 



J . J . REED, 

PRINTER & STEREOTYPES, 

43 Centre-St, N. Y. 



So % 

REV. JOSEPH H. KENNAKD, D.D. 

AND 

WILSON JEWELL, M.D., 

THE EARLY AND DEVOTED FRIENDS 

OF 

HIM WHOSE LABORS, IN P^RT. ARE HEREIN SKETCHED, 



£ 1) i Volume 



IS AFFECTIONATELY AND GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED 
BY 

THE AUTHOR. 



1 



I 



PREFACE. 






On the day that Mr. Kincaid last left America to 
return to Burmah, I ventured to request permission to 
acquaint myself with all the accessible facts of his 
public life, with the view of giving them to the world 
in the shape of a book. The application was unex- 
pected, but after some hesitation, it was modestly 
waved by referring the proposal to the two " early 
and devoted friends " whose names adorn a previous 
page. Having received their kind approval of such 
an undertaking, I began at once the preparation of this 
volume. 

As expressed in the title, it does not claim to be a 
life of Mr. Kincaid, but a history of his labors, and 
these I have endeavored to sketch in a style adapted 
to the popular mind, and calculated, it is confidently 
hoped, to awaken increasing interest in the great 
enterprise to which all his energies have been given. 

The simple design of this work, then, is to furnish a 
Condensed, yet accurate view of the incidents and 



viii Preface. 



scenes connected with those bold and persevering 
efforts which mark Mr. Kincaid as "The Hero Mis- 
sionary/' and which have contributed to give him 
such eminence and honor among that noble band who 
have sought, or are now seeking, the evangelization 
of Burmah. 

Carlyle, in his Life of Sterling, has said — "I have 
remarked that a true delineation of the smallest man 
and his scene of pilgrimage through life, is capable 
of interesting the greatest man ; that all men are to 
an unspeakable degree brothers, each man's life a 
strange emblem of every man's ; and that Human 
Portraits, faithfully drawn, are of all pictures the 
welcomest on human walls." 

If this be true, then, surely the sketch of a man 
whose achievements in the highest sphere of human 
effort, have made him distinguished among his fellows, 
must be capable of awakening a still deeper interest, 
and a faithful portrait of such an one cannot fail to 
prove a most welcome addition to those already in 
the world's possession. But, beyond this, the hope is 
cherished that what is here recorded may serve to 
excite a deeper interest in the subject of Christian 
Missions, and thus contribute, in some humble measure, 
to advance a cause dear to all who possess the mind 
"which was also in Christ Jesus." 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 

Page 

life's beginnings, - - - - - -••-■- 11 

CHAPTER II 

ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER, ------ 23 

CHAPTER III. 

THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY, - 33 

CHAPTER IV. 

ENTERING THE FOREIGN FIELD, ----- 4L 

CHAPTER V. 
A YEAR IN RANGOON, -------52 

CHAPTER VI. 

UP THE IRRAWADDY, ------- 60 

CHAPTER VII. 

OPPOSITION AT AVA, -------68 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE GOSPEL IN THE GOLDEN CITY, - - - - 80 

CHAPTER IX. 

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMMALEH MOUNTAINS, 89 

CHAPTER X. 

[N PERILS AMONG ROBBERS, - - - - - 103 

CHAPTER XI. 

DANGER AND DELIVERANCE, ------ HQ 

CHAPTER XII. 

LABORS IN TENNASSERIM, ------ 129 



x Contents. 



CHAPTER XIII. 
A GREAT WORK IN ARRACAN. ------ 145 

CHAPTER XIV. 
VISIT TO THE MOUNTAIN CHIEF. ----- 159 

CHAPTER XV. 

VISIT TO AMERICA, - - - - - - " - - 177 

CHAPTER XVI. 

REOPENING OF BURMAH, ------ 195 

CHAPTER XVII. 

OFF AGAIN FOR BURMAH, ------- 210 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

RESUMING LABORS, ------- 224 

CHAPTER XIX. 

HAVING FAVOR WITH THE PEOPLE, ----- 235 

CHAPTER XX. 

LABORS INTERRUPTED BY WAR, ----- 245 

CHAPTER XXI. 

SETTING UP THE STANDARD AT PROME, - - - - 257 

CHAPTER XXII. 
IN FAVOR WITH THE KING, ------ 264 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
ON THE KING'S BUSINESS, ------- 276 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE OVERLAND ROUTE TO BURMAH, - 285 

CHAPTER XXV. 

RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT, ------ 307 



KINCAID-THE HERO MISSIONARY. 



CHAPTER I. 



11 Before I formed thee I knew thee ; — and I ordained thee a prophet unto 
the nations." — Jer. i. 5. 

" As the sun, 
Ere it is risen, sometimes paints its image 
In the atmosphere ; so often do the spirits of 
Great events stride on before the events, 
And in to-day already walks to-morrow." 

The future of some men is clearly foreshadowed at 
life's beginning. Just as the naturalist in looking 
at the merest shoot discerns the pledge of a sturdy 
oak — so those who carefully observe the first de- 
velopments of mind may foretell the probable future 
of the child. Alluding to the deep interest connect- 
ed with such observations, Foster, in one of his 
Essays says — " While I anticipate the endless pro- 
gress of life, and wonder through what unknown 
scenes it is to take its course, its past years lose that 
character of vanity which would seem to belong to a 
train of fleeting, perishing moments, and I see them 



12 Kincaid 



assuming the dignity of a commencing eternity. In 
them I have begun to be that conscious existence 
which I am to be through endless duration ; and I 
cannot be content without an accurate sketch of the 
windings thus far of a stream which is to bear me on 
for ever." A feeling of curiosity similar to this 
prompts us to inquire respecting the early history of 
others ; and hence, when we hear of one who, in any 
of life's pursuits, has been successful in reaching a 
position of eminence and usefulness, we find ourselves 
almost instinctively asking for his antecedents. 

Nor can we have failed to notice that, with few ex- 
ceptions, whatever traits have been peculiar to one 
in the primary periods of his life, have contributed 
not a little to give shape and direction to his whole 
future existence. 

But besides these mental and moral indexes, it is 
sometimes exceedingly interesting to notice the 
moulding influence of those outward circumstances 
which, though they may at the time appear trivial, 
nevertheless exert a power over an individual's inner 
history altogether disproportionate to their seeming 
importance. 

A brief reference to a few such characteristics and 
circumstances connected with the youth and early 
manhood of Eugenio Kincaid will occupy the limits 
of the present chapter. He was born in the little 
Connecticut town of Wethersfield, but almost before 



The Hero Missionary. • 13 

the years of memory his parents removed to Canada, 
and finally settled in Pennsylvania. 

His father, Noah Kincaid, is a respectable physi- 
cian, and still lives to rejoice in his son's usefulness. 
The maiden name of his mother (some years since 
deceased) was Lydia Hough. Both parents were 
consistent members of the Presbyterian church, and 
highly esteemed in the circle in which Providence 
allotted them to move. 

Eugenio was the oldest of eight children, and the 
pious instructions of his sainted mother — to whom he 
was peculiarly attached — are among his earliest and 
most cherished recollections. Almost from the day 
of his birth she seems to have had an impression that 
he would become more than an ordinary man, and, 
doubtless, the care and attention which this convic- 
tion prompted, had not a little to do in the develop- 
ment of his moral and mental powers, and conse- 
quently in giving direction to his whole future life. 

His first years, though not marked by any striking 
display of genius, were yet distinguished by some in- 
timations of peculiar talent ; and any thoughtful 
observer would have seen in him that which gave a 
sure pledge of future eminence. While very steady, 
and devoted to study, he was at the same time re- 
markably energetic — exhibiting all that intense earn- 
estness in whatever he undertook, that has charac- 
terized him through life. 



"7 



14 Kincaid 



At the age of sixteen, his mind became deeply ex- 
ercised on the subject of religion. A meeting of days 
was at that time held by a traveling Baptist preacher, 
which he attended ; and, before its close, he was 
brought by divine grace to exercise deep repentance 
for sin, and to experience a thorough change of heart. 
His mind was at once exercised in reference to the 
ordinance of Christian baptism, and going to the 
preacher he asked him for a book which might give 
him some light on the subject. The preacher went 
immediately to his saddle-bags, and, taking out a 
small volume, handed it to him. Upon opening it, 
Mr. Kincaid found it to be a New Testament, and, 
thinking he had made a mistake, immediately re- 
turned it — when the preacher, looking very earnestly 
at him, said — " Young man, if you want any better 
guide than the Holy Ghost has given, don't come to 
me." The remark was never forgotten, and, after a 
careful investigation of the subject, as presented in 
the word of God, he felt that there was no room to 
doubt, and at once with a willing mind, submitted to 
the ordinance. He was not brought to this decision, 
however, without a painful struggle, and in carrying 
it out he was obliged to encounter no small amount 
of opposition. Only a short time previous to this he 
had commenced the study of the law under the direc- 
tion of his former pastor ; but the day following his 
baptism he found that his books had been removed, 



The Hero Missionary, 15 

and he was given to understand that he could no 
longer look to him for assistance.' 

Thus all his plans for the future seemed to be at 
once frustrated. He was not long, however, in sus- 
pense ; for God, who called him out of darkness into 
his marvellous light, had marked out another path 
for him, and he was soon made to feel it a duty to 
pursue a course of study with reference to the work 
of the ministry. At first, many difficulties beset his 
way, but, mastering these, he at length found his way 
to the Literary and Theological Institution at Hamil- 
ton, where he was graduated in 1822. 

From the very day of his conversion he had been 
thoroughly imbued with the spirit of missions, and, 
during his preparatory studies, so deep were his im- 
pressions of duty to the heathen, that he resolved to 
devote his life to labors for their salvation. Upon 
the completion of his course at the Institution, there- 
fore, he offered himself to the Baptist Board of Mis- 
sions, — asking an appointment to Burmah. From 
various causes, however, but principally, it is be- 
lieved, through the conservative counsels of one who 
regarded him as wanting in prudence, his application 
was declined, and his cherished hope was thus, for a 
time, deferred. Under these circumstances he was 
induced to accept an invitation to the pastoral charge 
of the Baptist church at Galway, N. Y. Here, in the 
midst of an attached people, it was his privilege for 



16 Kincaid : 



about three years to labor and to witness signal and 
most cheering success in his ministry. " His preach- 
ing," says one of the venerable men connected with 
that church, " was much to our satisfaction — he was 
greatly beloved by all, and we thought him a very 
promising young man." But happy as were all the 
circumstances connected with this settlement, he did 
not feel contented to remain there — wishing to labor 
in a more destitute part of the vineyard. In the 
year 1826 he made a visit of exploration into the val- 
ley of the Susquehanna, and finding there a wide 
and inviting field, he determined at once to enter it. 

At this time there were not more than two or 
three Baptists in all that region ; and when, calling at 
the house of one of these, he introduced himself as a 
Baptist minister, the old man was quite overcome, 
and without making any reply, in an audible voice 
thanked God for this long-desired blessing. 

Mr. Kincaid commenced preaching statedly at 
Milton, Union Co., and in less than six months a 
little church was organized in that town, consisting 
of nine members. The occasion of their first bap- 
tism is still remembered by many of the inhabitants 
of that place as an occasion of peculiar interest. It 
took place immediately upon the close of a Lord's 
day morning service, and was witnessed by a very 
large concourse of people. Public notice having 
been give,n 4 ,hat the ordinance would be administered 



The Hero Missionary. 17 

on that day, it brought together not only the greater 
part of the floating population of that town and sur- 
rounding country, but the dispersing congregations 
of the other churches ; and the river bank, thronged 
with this curious but attentive crowd, presented a 
scene at once impressive and beautiful. After bap- 
tizing two rejoicing converts, the pastor of the Pres- 
byterian church, by request, closed the service with 
an appropriate and fervent prayer. 

But, while making Milton his home, Mr. Kin- 
caid embraced every opportunity of extending 
his labors into the surrounding towns and villages, 
and, among other localities, he was accustomed to 
preach occasionally at Warrior Run. His visits here 
had the effect of exciting an unusual interest, and a 
minister of another denomination, who regarded him 
in the light of an intruder, thought it important to 
warn his people against hearing " the young Baptist 
preacher," solemnly assuring them that "Baptist 
sentiments were the worst of all heresies ; for when 
once they entered a place, they could never be root- 
ed out." In addition to his numerous preaching en- 
gagements, Mr. Kincaid edited for a time The Lite- 
rary and Evangelical Register, a monthly magazine, 
printed at Milton, and designed to diffuse general 
scientific and religious knowledge. From a variety 
of causes, however, its publication, after the first 
year, was discontinue i. 



18 Kincaid : 



Toward the close of 1828, the Board of the Baptist 
General Association of Pennsylvania, for Missionary 
Purposes* selected Mr. Kincaid to preach the gospel, 
and to travel as an exploring agent in several of the 
central counties of the State. This appointment he 
accepted, and the cheering success which almost im- 
mediately crowned his efforts, is embodied in the fol- 
lowing extracts from a letter, written under date of 
June 16, 1829, to the Eev. Mr. Kennard— 

" After receiving an appointment as missionary 
and agent, I commenced my labors the first week in 
March. "Without delay I traveled over the field in 
which I had labored for more than two years — the 
principal places are Milton, New Columbia, Sunbury, 
Shamokin, Washington, Jerseybower, Moreland, and 
Pennsborough. In most of these places, the prospect 
of good is encouraging ; assemblies generally large 
and attentive. The discriminating doctrines of our 
faith begin to claim attention — a spirit of inquiry is 
going forth, and so far the result has been cheering. 
For some months past, Shamokin has been sharing in 
the special influences of the Spirit. The youth have 
shared largely in this work of grace. The number of 
anxious, mourning souls is increasing ; and, what is 
worthy of remark, the largest number received their 
first conviction on baptismal occasions — some who 

* An organization which, in 1838, was merged in'o the Pennsylvania Bap- 
tist State Convention. 



The Hero Missionary. 19 

came out of curiosity, others to ridicule, and others 
to blaspheme, were pricked in the heart, and began 
to inquire, ' what shall we do ?' Some who were most 
violent opposers are now coming and offering them- 
selves for baptism. The last two Sabbaths on which 
I baptised, seventeen were received into the church. 
On these occasions people flock together from all the 
surrounding country, and I have endeavored to ex- 
plain faithfully the import of that commission which 
Christ gave to the Apostles. 

Sunbury is an important place, and I think a church 
may be formed here soon — the Presbyterian meeting 
house is at our service when not in use. 

Milton and the country around it is an interesting 
field of labor. I have been blessed in raising up a 
small church here, and several interesting young peo- 
ple have been added by baptism. This little church 
has commenced building a brick meeting house 34 by 
40 — they intend finishing it this summer. One bap- 
tised here a few days since ; several inquiring souls. 

I have visited settlements in this country where a 
sermon had never been preached. I have received 
letters from other neighborhoods, begging of me to 
come and preach to them. West of the Alleghany 
mountains is a vast tract of new country, stretching 
to the North and West, and settlements are forming 
in every direction. The inhabitants are generally 
intelligent and enterprising. I have seen, in this 



20 Kincaid : 



wilderness, females come ten and twelve miles on 
foot to hear one sermon. Many appear to be hungry 
for the bread of life. I have not traveled as yet any 
further than into Jefferson county — soon I intend to 
go over more ground. I feel anxious to know how 
much land we have to possess. Pioneers are needed 
to range through this new country and plant churches. 
The time has evidently come when the helping hand 
is to be put forth — every thing is encouraging ; it is 
a good cause, and the great Head of the church will 
prosper it. Difficulties there are, and opposition 
there will be ; but, who art thou, great mountain? 
before Zerobabel thou shalt become a plain. Soon 
the wilderness will bud and blossom like the rose. — 
Let the gospel of Christ go forth, and it will not re- 
turn void." 

Mr. Kincaid continued in this service for several 
years, and, upon closing his connection with the As- 
sociation, the Board, in their Annual Report, bore 
the following testimony to their appreciation of his 
labors — 

" In concluding our report/' says the secretary, 
" we wish to express our high sense of the valuable 
services rendered by our Brother Kincaid, in whose 
resignation, the Association sustains a great loss. He 
has been your agent from your first organization, and 
has been the chief instrument in originating nearly 
al 1 your auxiliary societies. As a pioneer, we know 



The Hero Missionary. 21 

not his equal. It has been ascertained, that within 
the last four years, he has traveled more than 20,(\ 
miles, in exploring our State, and preaching in its 
most destitute and dreary regions, and in some in- 
stances, where the feet of him that bringeth good 
tidings had never before been seen. We rejoice 
that the Foreign Mission, in which wo feel a lively 
interest, has obtained a brother so laborious and self- 
denying." 

The night before leaving Boston for India, Mr. 
Kincaid wrote the Board as follows : — 

" The deep interest I have felt in the advancement 
of the cause in Pennsylvania, can never be erased 
from my mind ; my happiness has been identified 
with the prosperity of the Mission cause in that 
State, and though I may never visit it again, the re- 
collections of past years, will ever be present with 
me. In mind, I shall often visit those mountains and 
valleys where I have so frequently preached the 
things concerning the kingdom of God." 

" So ardently," it is added, " was he devoted to the 
cause of missions in this State, and so unquestionable 
an assurance has he left of the sincerity of that devo- 
tion, as naturally to elicit from us warm expressions 
of gratitude. Indeed, it is difficult to suppress the 
inquisitiveness we feel in calling to recollection so 
worthy a friend — so devoted a Christian. We would 
fain know where he resides ; the tenor of his life, 



22 Kincaid 



and the success of his toils. Has he tired under his 
burden, and given up in despair ? Or, is he pressing 
forward to victory and death, with unabated ardor ?" 
After detaining the reader with a brief reference 
to the natural elements of the man, whose life was so 
auspiciously begun, a full and satisfactory answer to 
these questions will be found, it is believed, in the 
succeeding chapters of this work. 



The Hero Missionary. 23 



CHAPTER II. 

ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER. 

• Every work that he began ... he did it with all his heart and prospered." 

2 Chron. xxxi. 21. 
" He lives and breathes 
For noble purposes of mind ; and his heart 
Beats to heroic things of ancient days ; 
His eye distinguishes ; his soul creates." 

Many men seem to have no individuality. Even 
though enjoying what is called a reputation, they are 
wholly wanting in what constitutes a distinctive cha- 
racter. Neither their mental nor their moral attri- 
butes are marked by any thing that can be regarded 
as permanent, and but for a certain " vain show" they 
would pass through life scarcely challenging recogni- 
tion. There are others, however, endowed with such 
gifts that it matters not where they may be placed, 
their presence and influence are sure to be deeply and 
widely felt. Nor is it difficult to discern the qualities 
which generally give to individuals position and power. 
In all such cases it will be found that the constituent 
elements of the mind are such as to impart a decided 



24 Kincaid : 



character to all they say and do, and by the confidence 
with which they speak their sentiments, and the bold- 
ness with which they execute their plans, they speedily 
establish a title to preeminence even among illustrious 
associates. 

These natural traits have been strikingly exhibited 
in the life and labors of Mr. Kincaid, and to theii 
possession must be traced one of the chief causes of 
his astonishing success. 

To exhibit these traits is a difficult task, and one 
which I approach with great diffidence. In referring 
to a character so marked by Christian and manly vir- 
tue, however, nothing, of course, will be expected be- 
yond a brief outline of the chief qualities for which he 
has become so widely distinguished. 

The intellectual endowments of Mr. Kincaid, though 
not of the first or highest order, are unquestionably 
far above mediocrity, and the depth and breadth of 
their development, under the circumstances in which 
he has been placed, afford ample proof of their native 
scope and vigor. With a mind at once contemplative 
and discriminating, he exhibits also sleepless intellec- 
tual vivacity, and all his mental processes are con- 
ducted with the greatest possible rapidity. Hence it 
is that, notwithstanding the amount of time given to 
active labors, he has still been astonishingly success- 
ful in the acquisition of general intelligence. 



The Hero Missionary. 25 

Besides being an educated man, therefore, within 
his appropriate sphere, few, perhaps, are more familiar 
than he with the current history of the world, whether 
in the department of politics, science or religion. He 
possesses also remarkable resources in himself — in his 
good sense, his quick sagacity, his generous sensibili- 
ties, and his fertile imagination. Under no circum- 
stances, perhaps, have these powers appeared to greater 
advantage than on the platform, when under the ex- 
citement induced by a crowded audience, he has been 
portraying the thrilling scenes connected with his 
labors in Burmah, or when, with strong argument and 
melting pathos, he has been heard pleading with the 
churches in behalf of the perishing heathen. 

At such times, a whole assembly has been not only 
bathed in tears, but so thrilled by his graphic sketches, 
or so overwhelmed by his impetuous appeals, that the 
feelings of many have found utterance in involuntary, 
half-suppressed ejaculations. 

The physical organization of Mr. Kincaid is scarcely 
less remarkable than his mental developments, and 
has doubtless contributed not a little to the making 
up of all the other elements of his manhood. 

In person he is about the medium height, firmly, 
though not stoutly built — presenting a remarkable 
combination of nervous and muscular energy. As the 
natural result of such a formation, constituting the 



26 Kincaid : 



basis of an active temperament, he has, on all occa- 
sions, exhibited great powers of endurance, and evi- 
dently with a constitution less vigorous, he could 
never have survived the toils and privations through 
which he has been called to pass. The action of 
strong character, it has been said, demands something 
firm in its natural basis, just as massive engines re- 
quire, for their weight and for their working, to be 
fixed on a solid foundation. The physical nature 
thus becomes an ally of the moral one, and with a 
hardness that never shrinks, sustains the energy that 
never remits. 

This constitutional firmness may at least be regard- 
ed as an essental condition to physical courage. And 
among the many qualities requisite to the position of 
a Foreign Missionary, this certainly, is one of no little 
importance. In the prosecution of his work he is often 
thrown amid circumstances where timidity and irreso- 
lution would be ruin, and he needs, therefore, in an 
eminent degree, the power to provide against trying 
emergencies, and the bravery to ward off the most 
threatening danger. 

The possession of this quality, giving to a man as 
it does, the full use of his faculties for the prudent and 
prompt adaptation of means to ends, is one of the 
rarest and most important of human endowments. 
Indeed, without a meas ire of this courage an indivi- 



The Hero Missionary. 27 

dual can scarcely hope to succeed in any important 
undertaking, because, as Foster has said — " In almost 
all plans of great enterprise, a man must systematical- 
ly dismiss, at the entrance, every wish to stipulate 
with his destiny for safety. He voluntarily treads 
within the precincts of danger ; and though it be pos- 
sible he may escape, he ought to be prepared with the 
fortitude of a self-devoted victim. This is the inevi- 
table condition on which heroes, travelers, or mission- 
aries among savage nations, and reformers on a grand 
scale must commence their career." 

But this dauntless spirit which is demanded in en- 
tering upon a great and hazardous enterprise is not 
less essential to its successful prosecution. And here 
we discover one of the strongest elements perhaps in 
Mr. Kincaid's character ; for while quick in his per- 
ceptions, and prompt and bold in forming his plans, 
he is at the same time persevering and confident in 
their execution. In his case we have a remarkable 
illustration of a strenuous will accompanying the con- 
clusions of thought, and constantly inciting the utmost 
efforts to give them a practical result. And it mat- 
ters not how formidable the difficulties, or how persis- 
tent the opposition which would defeat his plans, so 
inflexible is the temper of his mind, and so indomita- 
ble his courage, that such circumstances only increase 
the intensity of his soul, and with a feeling bordering 



28 Kincaid 



on impunity, lie seems almost to make his way through 
impossibilities, and reaches, at last, the full execution 
of his purposes. 

But closely allied with this trait of character is an- 
other, I allude to his independence. Let it cost what 
it may, he will be honest to the convictions of his own 
mind, and without stopping to consider what he might 
lose or what he might gain by any particular course 
of action, his single inquiry is, What is right ? And 
having satisfied his conscience on this point, without 
the slightest regard to man's frown or the hope of his 
favor, he will say and do whatever he conscientiously 
believes to be true and proper. 

His rule has been to act, as far as possible, from 
convictions superior to his own passions ; and being 
governed by views of duty too deep and strong to 
yield to those influences which too often lead men to 
act in a way which their better judgments would for- 
bid, his course, in some instances, may appear indis- 
creet — savoring, perchance, of harshness and arrogance. 

Frankly independent in his opinions, however, and 
not without what would be called strong prejudices — 
no uncommon feature of powerful minds — Mr. Kincaid 
has not been the man to play the sycophant, nor, 
under any circumstances, to feign himself what he is 
not, and a more perfectly outspoken and transparent 
soul I have never known. In truth — 



Tlie Hero Missionary. 29 

"My love doth so approve hiin, 
That even his stubbornness, his checks, and frowns, 
Have grace and favor in them." 

If anything has been needed to temper this inde- 
pendence and guard it against abuse, that element has 
existed in his remarkable self-devotement. His, in 
an eminent degree, has been the spirit of him who 
" pleased not himself," and who said — " My meat and 
my drink is to do the will of Him that sent me, and 
to finish His work." He has emphatically given him- 
self to the work ; abjuring, from the very beginning, 
every thing that has not looked to its accomplish- 
ment. 

Without repining, he has relinquished all else that 
was dear to him, and, in a spirit of true self-denial, 
has brought into captivity every passion of his soul to 
the obedience of Christ. And having made this full 
surrender of himself, he has been content to derive all 
his happiness in laboring with ceaseless toil for the 
glory of God and the salvation of men. His intention 
has been single, his way straightforward, and, keeping 
his end in view, he has pursued it without defection 
and without weariness. Hence, while his natural 
courage has supported him amid dangers, and while 
opposition and perils have not been able to disturb 
his self-reliance, this feeling of his soul, leading him 
to look to a higher object, has enabled him to say 



SO Kincaid : 



with the Apostle — "Neither count I my life dear 
unto myself, so that I might finish my course with 
joy, and the ministry which I have received of the 
Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." 
His life and spirit are fitly embodied in a noble strain 
of the poet, that reads as if it were written for him : 

" I feel a secret impulse drive me on, 
And my soul springs impatient for the fight, 
'Tis not the heated spirit and warm blood 
Of sanguine youth with which my bosom burns ; 
And though I thirst for glory, 'tis not, witness, Heaven; 
'Tis not the sinful lust of fading fame, 
The perishable praise of mortal man ; 
His praise I covet whose applause is life." 

But, after all, the source of his abundant labors as 
well as the secret of his great success, must be traced 
to his wonderful faith. Deeply convinced, as he is, of 
the verity of the Divine promises, and taking these as 
the basis of his efforts, he is actuated by no visionary 
conceits, but by that principle which has the marvel- 
ous power of making the future present ; the unseen 
visible ; and of investing its possessor with strength 
sufficient to overcome seeming impossibilities. 

This is the gift of which the Apostle speaks in the 
eleventh of Hebrews, and through which holy men of 
olden time, subdued kingdoms, quenched the violence 
of fire, stopped the mouths of lions, and turned to 
flight the armies of the Aliens. " The man of faith," 



TJie Hero Missionary. 



says a gifted writer, " is a decided character. The 
instinct of his reason is a strong will, from a strong 
motive. He answers the questions, What will you 
do ? what will you be ? and says, I will walk worthy 
of my vocation ; I will be a son of God. The Al- 
mighty allows and grants what such a mind wishes. 
A man without a determined final faith, an undoubt- 
ing trust in the true God, is but as a dry leaf on the 
wings of the wind, carried about by impulses unresist- 
ed and unavoidable. As the leaf cannot take root, 
and it rests but to rot, so the faithless man has no 
living power in him to draw vigor and beauty from 
the elements. There is no settled hope without faith, 
and therefore, no going forth of the prophetic and 
realizing soul into the future eternal firmament of the 
heavens ; but fancy, instead, makes dreams of memory, 
and amuses or terrifies with phantoms uncertain as the 
dance of moonbeams on the sea. Such a mind has no 
supreme good, for the sake of which every other ob- 
ject is felt to be inferior and to be held in abeyance, 
to be enjoyed or endured, merely as it may serve as 
means to the attainment of the grand end— the un- 
alienable possession of that good."* 

Animated by this "precious faith/' Mr. Kincaid 
presents us with a living exemplification of its strength 

* "Man and His Motives," by Geo. Moore, M.D., member of the Royal 
College of Physicians, etc., etc. 



32 Kincaid 



as a governing spring of action. It was in obedience 
to its dictates that he, in the first instance, relin- 
quished the delights of home, with all the advantages of 
polished society, to live and labor among the heathen, 
and, amid the many discouragements which have 
beset him in his work, a confidence in God has over- 
balanced all hindrances, and a firm reliance on his 
word has not only banished all distrust, but filled his 
soul with an unwavering and sublime assurance of 
success. It is this faith, undoubtedly, that has given 
him that boldness, courage, perseverance and zeal, 
which, besides obtaining for him "a good report" 
among his brethren, have been crowned with a higher 
honor, put upon him by the Great Head of the Church. 
Such, in outline, are some of the prominent traits 
of the man whose remarkable labors are sketched in 
the succeeding chapters. And thus, while furnishing 
a character every way worthy of study and emulation, 
the record of his public career, it is believed, will 
serve to awaken in every Christian heart increased 
confidence in the ultimate success of the glorious work 
of missions. 



The Hero Missionary. 33 



CIIAPTEK III. 

THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY. 

M Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." 

Luke xvi : 15. 

" Home, thy joys are passing lovely — 

Joys no strangeer heart can tell : 
Happy home, indeed I love thee ; 

Can I, can I say, " Farewell?" 
Can I leave thee, 

Far in heathen lands to dwell 1 

Yes, I hasten from you gladly — 

From the scenes I love so well : 
Far away ye billows bear me ; 

Lovely native land, farewell ; 
Pleased I leave thee, 

Far in heathen lands to dwell." 

The field in which Mr. Kincaid had now for several 
years been toiling, and from which abundant harvests 
had been gathered, was still full of promise, and on 
every hand he saw the most cheering evidence of the 
Divine blessing on his labors. With all this, how- 
ever, he felt that God was calling him to another 
sphere of effort. And in the familiar words of one, 






34 Kincaid : 



afterwards associated with him in Missionary labor, he 
was forced to say — 

" My soul is not at rest. There comes a strange 
And secret whisper to my spirit, like 
A dream of night, that tells me I am on 
Enchanted ground. Why live I here 1 

****** 
The voice of my departed Lord — 
" Go teach all nations," from the eastern world, 
Comes on the night air, and awakes my ear., 
And 1 will go. I may no longer doubt 
To give up friends, and home, and idol hopes, 
And every tender tie that binds my heart 
To thee, my country !"* 

For months this conviction of duty had been forcing 
itself upon his mind. The cry of the perishing fell on 
his ear in tones deep and earnest as the wants and 
woes of millions. But at last the purpose was formed. 
He knew that while many were perfectly satisfied to 
labor at home, there were but few who had any deep 
impression of obligation to the heathen ; a feeling 
confident that another would soon be found to preach 
the Gospel in the valley of the Susquehanna, he re- 
solved to spend his future life in publishing tidings 
of peace to the benighted inhabitants of Burmah. 

The one grand motive which impelled him to this 
decision was a zeal for the divine glory ; and his duty 
was made clear by a deep conviction that the voice of 

* Rev. N. Brown, D.D. 



The Hero Missionary. 35 

God was calling him to the work. There are many 
who would fain ascribe lower impulses to those who 
give themselves to such self-denying labors. And 
that a lower motive than the approbation of God 
may influence some who enter upon this work, we do 
not deny. " The circumstances," says Robert Hall, 
" which contribute to such a resolution are various, 
often too subtle and complicated to admit of a dis- 
tinct analysis : a constitutional ardor of mind, a na- 
tural neglect of difficulties and dangers, an impatience 
of being confined within the trammels of ordinary 
duties, together with many accidental associations 
and impressions, may combine to form a missionary 
spirit." It is true, the very peculiarities of tempera- 
ment and mind here referred to were strikingly cha- 
racteristic of Mr. Kincaid. But, so far as can be dis- 
covered, no such circumstances contributed in his 
case to the decision of this momentous question, and 
his course having been marked out under a clear 
conviction of duty, he felt himself impelled to its 
discharge by all the impulses of a heart beating with 
love to God, and overflowing with sympathy for man. 
Similar to these were the feelings of his companion, 
and to nothing could they mutually look forward 
^vith such deep anxiety and intense desire as the 
privilege of engaging in missionary labors among the 
heathen. At length the way was opened for the 
realization of their hopes, and Mr. Kincaid, as also 



36 Kincaid : 



Mr. Mason, having been approved and accepted by 
the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, were pub- 
licly set apart to the responsible office, on the even- 
ing of the 23d of May, 1830. The services connected 
with their designation were held in the spacious 
meeting-house of the Baldwin Place Church, in the 
presence, says a published report, of " an immensely 
crowded audience." On that occasion Mr. Kincaid 
delivered a discourse from 2 Cor. xiii, 11 : " Finally, 
brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, 
be of one mind, live in peace ; and the God of love 
'and peace shall be with you." It was an affectionate 
valedictory, indicating a mind tenderly alive to the 
best interests of men ;.and giving proof that while 
he looked with earnest desire to benefit distant na- 
tions, he cherished a deep solicitude for the spiritual 
welfare of those from whom he was. soon to be sepa- 
rated. At the close of the sermon, Dr. Bolles, in be- 
half of the Board, delivered an impressive charge, 
alluding in appropriate terms to the extensive field 
of their labor, the difficulties to be encountered, the 
zeal requisite to the work, the self-denial which the 
service demanded, and the pleasing encouragements 
presented of ample reward here, and of an eternal 
reward hereafter, as the result of their toils. Then 
with the aspect and style of fraternal and Christian 
affection, for which he was so remarkable, the Rev. 
Mr. Knowles presented to them the hand of fellow 



The Hero Missionary. 37 

ship, accompanying the act with cheering words and 
pledging to them the fervent prayers of the churches 
for their safety and ultimate success. 

On the following morning at 5 o'clock, just pre- 
vious to the time of sailing, a prayer-meeting was 
held at the First Baptist meeting-house, where a large 
assembly met to unite in seeking the presence and 
blessing of the Lord to accompany his servants across 
the bosom of the deep and in the land of the heathen. 
At the close of this meeting, sorrowing, yet rejoicing, 
Mr. Kincaid took a final and affectionate leave of his 
brethren, adverting briefly to the deep sensibility 
which parting with Christian friends excited, but 
declaring that he felt unspeakably happy in prospect 
of so soon entering upon labors connected with the 
diffusion of the knowledge of the Saviour, among 
those who were sitting in the region and shadow of 
death. 

Mrs. Kincaid, also, in tender accents, desired per- 
mission to present a parting word. Having for many 
years sighed for the opportunity of imparting in- 
struction to Burman females, she was now made to re- 
joice at -the prospect of a speedy consummation of 
her solicitous hopes and prayers, and for herself as 
well as in behalf of Mrs. Mason, she professed a 
readiness heartily to cooperate with their husbands 
in missionary labors. 

After prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Choules, &he assem 



38 Kincaid : 



bly, with the missionaries, repaired to the ship, and. 
on the wharf, united in singing — 

Te Messengers of Christ, 

His sov'reign voice obey ; 
Arise ! and follow where he leads, 

And peace attend your way 

The Master whom you serve 

"Will needful strength bestow ; 
Depending on his promis'd aid, 

With sacred courage go. 

Mountains shall sink to plains. 

And hell in vain oppose ; 
The cause is God's, and must prevail, 

In spite of all his foes. 

Go, spread a Saviour's fame : 

And tell his matchless grace, 
To the most guilty and deprav'd 

Of Adam's num'rous race. 

We wish you in his name, 

The most divine success ; 
Assur'd that he who sends you forth 

Will your endeavors bless. 

Dr. Bolles, the Corresponding Secretary, then led 
in devout supplication to heaven for a prosperous 
voyage — that the winds and the waves might be pro- 
pitious, and the seamen participate in the blessings 
ofsthe Gospel, after which mutual salutations were 
exchanged, and the missionaries embarked on board 
the Martha, Capt. Lovett, for Calcutta. 

As the vessel left its moorings, a solemn stillness 



The Hero Missionary. 39 

prevailed among the crowd of spectators, broken 
only by the smothered sobs of those who wept over 
the separation, and every heart sent up a silent, ear- 
nest prayer to that gracious and almighty Being, who 
holds the winds in his fist, and the ocean in the hol- 
low of his hand, that he would not only waft them 
safely over the deep, but give them an open and 
effectual door among the heathen, and crown, with 
abundant success, all their efforts to shed over Bur- 
mah the saving light of truth. 

Soon the vessel began to fade in the distance, and 
when straining eyes could no longer recognize the 
features of those on board, slowly they left the dock 
and returned to their several homes. 

What the feelings of the departing missionaries 
were, may easily be imagined, though they have 
never been written. The ship was soon plunging her 
bows into the white crested billows, and when the 
last dim outline of their native land disappeared 
from view, Oh ! with what sadness of heart did they 
retire to their lonely cabin ! Now, as never before, 
they began to realize their situation. They had re- 
nounced the comforts and privileges of a refined and 
Christian land, henceforth to dwell among rude hea- 
then. Every tender tie known to earth had been 
sundered, and having parted with fond parents, with 
loved brothers and sisters, and with happy circles 
of sympathizing Christian friends, they now felt, in 



40 Kincaid 



all their intensity, the sundering of these endearing 
associations, and as they thought of them, their spirits 
well nigh sank within them. 

It was under circumstances like these that Mrs. 
Judson made the following touching entry in her 
journal — " Still my heart bleeds. 0, America ! my 
native land ; must I leave thee ? Must I leave my 
parents, my sister and brother, my friends beloved, 
and all the scenes of my early youth ; * * Where I 
learnt the endearments of friendship and tasted of all 
the happiness this world can afford ; where I learnt 
also to value a Saviour's blood, and count all things 
but loss in comparison with the knowledge of Him ! 
Yes, I must leave you all, for a heathen land, and an 
uncongenial clime. Farewell, happy, happy scenes — 
but % never — no, never to be forgotten." 

It was in that hour of trial and conflict with nature, 
that the missionary band, bowing together in prayer, 
looked alone to God for strength and were comforted. 

" They prayed — they wept ; but oh, how impotent 

Is language to portray a scene like this ! 

No heart which has not felt its power, can know ; 

But, sure, if fervent prayer, meekly submissive, 

Much avails with God. tha'~ prayer was heard ir. heaven ' 



The Hero Missionary. 41 



CHAPTER IV. 

ENTERING THE FOREIGN FIELD. 

M Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." — Mat. xxviii. 20. 

" Henceforth, then, 
It matters not, if storm or sunshine bo 
My earthly lot — bitter or sweet my cup ; 
I only pray — God fit me for the work, 
God make me holy, and my spirit nerve 
For the stern hour of strife. Let me but know 
There is an arm unseen that holds me up, 
An eye that kindly watches all my path, 
Till I my weary pilgrimage have done — 
Let me but know I have a friend that waits 
To welcome me to glory — and I joy 
To tread the dark and death-fraught wilderness." 

Having been borne in safety across the ocean, Mr. 
Kincaid reached Calcutta, Sept. 30, 1830, and from 
thence embarked for Maulmain, arriving there early 
on Lord's day morning, Nov. 28th. The exercises of 
his mind, awakened by the first view of the scenes 
among which he was henceforth to labor, are well 
expressed in the following extracts from a letter to 
the Rev. Dr. Bolles — " We gazed upon the scenery 



42 Kincaid 



around us with feelings not easily to be described. 
The sun was just throwing his last rays on the dis- 
tant hills — the country of Burmah lay before us, its 
mountains, its valleys, its rivers, and its numerous 
population. It was then we thought more feelingly 
than ever of the moral gloom that cast its deadly 
shade over all this portion of the globe ; it was then 
we felt more than ever for the missionaries who had 
toiled and suffered on these shores. * * How cheer- 
ing is it to think of the change that will soon take 
place in Burmah ! Here the Messiah will reign — 
paganism will give way before him, and all the proud 
ensigns of heathen superstition will crumble beneath 
his feet. All the Saviour has spoken, he will accom- 
plish. This cheers the heart in this great moral 
desert." 

A teacher having been employed, Mr. Kincaid 
commenced, at once, the acquisition of the language, 
but, while thus preparing himself to address the hea- 
then, he was engaged also in preaching on the Lord's 
day, as well as on every Friday evening in English. 
Those who attended these services were chiefly 
British soldiers of the forty-fifth regiment, and Capt. 
Moore and other officers, observing the unusual at- 
tention paid to their interests, generously and prompt- 
ly provided for their accommodation a new and com- 
modious house of worship. On the assemblies con- 
vened in this chapel, God, in a signal manner, poured 



The Hero Missionary, 43 

out his Spirit ; converts were multiplied, and the 
church, before feeble, now became active and strong. 

Mr. Kincaid, toward the close of the first year, 
spent in Maulmain, alluding to this work of grace, 
wrote as follows : — " Many a giant that defied the 
armies of the "living God has fallen ; not to perish, 
but to be raised to life everlasting. From about the 
middle of July to near the end of October, we have had 
a constant ingathering to the fold of Christ. It has 
been truly a time of refreshing from the presence of 
the Lord. Many who came out to the chapel to scoff, 
went home agonizing under the awakening influence 
of the holy Spirit." 

As the result of this precious revival, about one 
hundred cases of conversion were reported, all of 
whom, after baptism, were added to the church. 
During the month of March, Mr. Kincaid, in company 
with Mr. Wade, made a tour of two or three hundred 
miles up the Martiban river to visit the Karens, who 
resided there in great numbers, and baptized nine 
persons on a profession of their faith in Christ. Re- 
turning from this excursion, Mr. Kincaid wrote — 

" During our absence we have seen much of the 
goodness of our heavenly Father, and have had in- 
creasing evidence that the Lord has much people in 
idolatrous Burmah, to be called out of darkness into 
the glorious light of the gospel. Surely the, fields are 
r.lrite for the harvest, and the urgency of preaching 



44 Kincaid : 



the gospel to the heathen gathers additional force at 
every step we take. Can any thing be more delight- 
ful, and more encouraging, than to see poor blind 
heathen at once transformed into the image of Sim, 
who gave his life for sinners. 

The Karens are a truly interesting people. But 
too little is known of their history, to say any thing 
about their origin, or the extent of their population ; 
yet all agree in considering them very numerous in 
all parts of the Burman empire. 

They are more mild in their manners, and more in- 
dustrious in their habits than- the Burmans ; and al- 
though they are without any fixed religious princi- 
ples, yet they are exceedingly superstitious. They 
attribute every evil they experience to the Nats, 
whom they propitiate by offerings and sacrifices of 
various kinds. They are entirely ignorant of the use 
of medicine ; but for some reason they supposed we 
possessed skill superior to the influence of the Nats; 
for wherever we went, they brought their sick around 
us, and they were delighted and astonished at the 
salutary influence which our medicines produced." 

In the midst of these encouragements, however, 
God was pleased to call his servant to the endurance 
of severe affliction in the sickness and death of a dear 
babe, and, also, of his beloved companion. 

Mrs. Kincaid, who had been actively engaged in 
the study of the language and in the managemenl/of 



The Hero Missionary. 45 

a school, heartily sympathized with her husband in 
all his labors and hopes. But, after suffering from 
several attacks of diseases peculiar to the climate, 
her strength was so much reduced as to preclude all 
hope of recovery. On the 10th of November, she 
was made the happy mother of a son, who, on the 8th 
of the following month, was removed by death. Just 
eleven days subsequent to this, her own career was 
terminated and her emancipated spirit took its flight 
to glory. The effect of these strokes on Mr. Kincaid 
is touchingly exhibited in the following extracts from 
a letter, addressed about this time, to a dear friend 
in the State of New York : — 

" It becomes my painful duty to give a detailed ac- 
count of some of the most afflicting events of my 
whole life. Hitherto I have been a stranger to sor- 
row — the cup of affliction has been dealt out to me 
with a sparing hand. My family was dearer to me 
than my own life, and a residence on this side the 
waste of waters, far from kindred and friends, serve 
to endear them a hundred fold. Separated as we 
were from the land of our fathers, and surrounded by 
thousands of poor ignorant heathen, our own humble 
home became a world of itself ; — together we wept 
and prayed around the family altar, and together la- 
bored for the acquisition of that language, by which 
we might communicate the glorious gospel to the 



46 Kincaid : 



millions of Burmah. We entered into the work with 
the most sanguine hopes of ultimate success. 

But now, sir, I am left to make my way alone on 
these pagan shores.- The friend, the companion, the 
wife of my youth has been early called from the scene 
of her labors ; — her toils are ended ; — she weeps and 
prays no more. You know what it is to see the cold 
sweat of death gathering over affection's fairest form, 
and all that was lovely in life, 'fading and withering 
under the influence of deadly disease ! You know 
what it is to shed tears of unavailing sorrow over the 
grave that encloses one dearer than life ! After we 
arrived in India, we were blessed with excellent 
health, until the rainy season began ; then we had a 
slight attack of intermittent fever, but after about 
ten days it left me, without taking a single portion 
of medicine ; — it was otherwise, however, with Mrs. 
Kincaid. She had this fever at intervals for about 
two months, but it seemed to wear upon her but very 
little, so that she continued studying the Burman 
language. At this time she had an attack of the 
bowel complaint, which reduced her very fast. Both 
the fever and the bowel complaint were soon removed, 
but their debilitating influence had been the means of 
bringing on another disease, peculiar to this climate, 
and very fatal to foreigners. Until this time we had 
apprehended nothing alarming. Dr. Brower, of the 
45th Regiment, attended daily, and Dr. Anderson, 



The Hero Missionary. 47 

of the staff, often attended in council. These gentle- 
men advised, as the oily effectual remedy for this 
complaint, a removal to some northern climate, as 
soon as Mrs. K. should be able to go on board ship. 
On the 10th of November, Mrs. Kincaid was made 
the happy mother of a son. Herself and child during 
the first five days were very well, and we had every 
prospect of getting out to sea in a short time. 

On the 10th she was taken worse, so much so, 
that I relinquished all hope of her recovery ; how- 
ever, about the 28th and 29th every symptom ap- 
peared favorable. She expressed an anxiety to get 
out, thinking that a little change would prove ser- 
viceable both to body and mind. The physicians 
approved of it, and I had her carried out in a palan- 
quin, morning and evening, until the 5th of December. 
Our little babe was taken ill on the 5th, and con- 
tinued sinking until the 8th, when it went into con- 
vulsive fits ; from the first fit he recovered, but a few 
hours after, he went into the second, and expired. 
Mrs. Kincaid sat in a chair, and held him in the last 
fit. I begged of her for my sake, and for hers not to 
exert herself ; but a mother's affection prevailed over 
her better judgment. However, when she saw that 
its emancipated spirit had taken its upward flight, 
she became entirely calm, and felt so well satisfied 
that it was all for the best, that she often told me, 
she had not had one wish to have her sweet babe re- 



48 Kincaid : 



stored to her again. "We both felt that this entire 
resignation to the will of God, was a kind mercy of 
onr heavenly Father. From this time to the 15th of 
December, there was no perceptible change, except 
a gradual loss of strength. Most of the time previous 
to this date, I had felt an awful presentiment on my 
mind that my dear wife would not recover ; but any 
favorable change filled me with hope. 

The first of November, I laid aside my books, 
and relinquished all labors except to preach to the 
English, and made it my whole business, night and 
day 7 , to administer to her wants. December 18th, 
Lord's day, I perceived that the disease was rapidly 
approaching a fatal crisis. After considerable con- 
versation, I told her it was time for meeting, 
and that I had one person to baptize. She said — 
1 Very well, but you will return as soon as pos-si- 
ble.' I returned before twelve o'clock, and we had 
as much' conversation as her strength would permit. 
After preaching again in the evening, on this subject. 
' For our light afflictions which are but for a moment/ 
&c, we both felt that this probably would be the last 
evening we should spend together on earth. I told 
her this separation to me was awfully painful, but I 
perceived it to be the will of God. She said her hope 
was in Christ, but she had not that cheering pros- 
pect which she wished, yet she felt weaned from the 
world, and could leave her family in the hands of 



The Hero Missionary. 49 



God. Much to the same purpose was said at inter- 
vals till eleven in the evening, when she urged me 
to lie down a little time and rest, (perceiving that I 
was much exhausted). At one o'clock I got up, and 
seeing that she was fast going, I gave her some 
lavender, which revived her, and she fell into an easy 
sleep till about two, when she awoke and said to me 
with a clear voice, ' I am now dying/ and, raising her 
eyes, continued silent. I applied some restoratives 
to her temples, but soon perceived the cold clammy 
sweat of death gathering on her forehead. After a 
little time, a heavenly smile came over her counte- 
nance, and more of the divine presence I never felt ; 
— there was something friendly in the approach of 
death, and with pleasure I could have unrobed my- 
self and descended with my dear companion into the 
dark valley : — heaven seemed to be just at hand, and 
the glories of the eternal world rose in delightful and 
awful majesty before me. Never before did I feel 
such strength in prayer. Never before such entire 
resignation to the will of God. I stood in silent 
watchful attention to see the spirit fling its last look 
on the world, and wing its way to the throne of God. 
After this she did not speak, but continued looking 
upwards, with a countenance that indicated that she 
had caught a glimpse of the brighter visions of eter- 
nity. About four o'clock on the morning of Decem- 
ber 19th, she resigned up her spirit, without a strug- 



50 Kincaid : 



gle or a groan. When I saw that all was over, I 
called a Burman female, who was sleeping in an ad- 
joining room, and said to her in the Burman language, 
'The teacheress is dead/ The sound awoke little 
Wade, and springing from his bed, he cried out in 
the most heart-rending manner, ' Is my ma dead ? Is 
my ma dead V and for a time he was inconsolable. 
Few children of his age ever received more instruc- 
tion from a parent. During the last six or eight 
months his dear ma labored much to instruct him in 
the knowledge of religion, and often took him alone, 
and prayed for him. Impressions were made on his 
mind which I trust will never be forgotten. 

Thus, my dear sir, I have given you a hasty nar- 
ration of facts, and you know how to sympathize with 
me. God has prepared me beyond any thing I had 
expected, to endure this trial. I see that God has 
done it, and I feel no disposition to murmur. Every 
effort was made which kind and skilful physicians 
could make to arrest the progress of the disease, but 
all proved unavailing ; and I can now see that my 
dear Almy had been preparing to leave the world. — 
At times she felt much distress of mind, and very 
often talked of the hardness of her heart ; at other 
times she felt comforted with the promises of the 
gospel, and rejoiced in the hope of immortality. 

Some of the most lovely and amiable dispositions 
which adorn the people of God, she exemplified in 



The Hero Missionary. 51 

her life. That meekness and humility which shrinks 
from observation, and feels its own unworthiness, 
and induces a person to esteem others as better than 
himself, she did possess in no ordinary degree. She 
is now gone to the full participation of that rest 
which remains for the people of G-od : the darkness, 
and hardness of heart over which she mourned, and 
so often wept, are now removed, and her spirit, all 
beauteous and holy, joins the society of the redeemed 
in the paradise of God. A little time longer we travel 
in this vale of tears, and then hasten to join our 
friends who have gone before us. The way is short 
— the time is near — and how amiable, how lovely is 
the Christian religion, when brought in close connec- 
tion with the lowly couch of death I It is the hand 
that wipes a^ay every tear ; it is the balm that heals 
the wounded spirit ; it is the eye that looks undaunt- 
ed on the king of terrors ; it is that friend that stick* 
eth closer than a brother." 



52 Kincaid : 



CHAPTER Y. 

A YEAR IN RANGOON. 

"A light to lighten the Gentiles."— Luke ii. 32 

" The heathen lands, that lie beneath 
The shades of overspreading death, 
Revive at His first dawning light, 
And deserts blossom at the sight." 

Early in the spring of 1832, Mr. Kincaid removed 
from Maulmain to Rangoon, and, though not yet able 
to preach in the 7!urman tongue, he was eminently 
successful in ca.rying on the schools which had pre- 
viously been r established, and, also, by the aid of na- 
tive assista* cs, in maintaining many of the public 
services at the mission. His deep conviction, even 
at this time, however, was that preaching must be 
relied on as the chief instrumentality for the conver- 
sion of the heathen. " The circulation of the Scrip- 
tures," said he, in a letter to the Secretary, " awakens 
attention ; and, in some few instances, souls may be 
saved without the use of any other means. But the 
aistory of the church in all past ages confirnis me in 



The Hero Missionary. bd 



the opinion, that we ought not to expect the demoli 
tion of the kingdom of darkness, and the building ur 
of the Saviour's, only as we go forth in faith, preach 
ing the word of eternal life." To the same point is 
his testimony, given at a later date and as the result 
of his observations in another field : 

" The longer I continue among the heathen, the 
more I am convinced that the Gospel conveyed by 
the living voice, is the means appointed for the con- 
version of men. Reading of books enlightens, and 
induces a spirit of inquiry ; but the full and over- 
flowing heart reaches the conscience, and awakens 
the finer feelings of the soul. Hence the necessity 
of preaching the word, of being instant in season and 
out of season. Could we but feel as we ought, we 
should know how to estimate the claims of these mil- 
lions, on whom not one gleam of moral light has 
dawned for ages. It is not enough that we pray for 
them ; it is not enough that we give them books ; we 
must preach Jesus Christ, and not be discouraged 
amidst reproaches and insults." 

At the close of the year, Mr. Kincaid went to Ma- 
dras, where he was married to Miss Barbara McBain, 
daughter of a military officer in the service of the 
East India Company. During his absence those whom 
he had left in charge of the schools and of the gen- 
eral interests of the mission, were seized by an infe- 
rior officer of the government, and subjected to such 



54 Kincaid : 



fines and cruel punishments as had. the effect of 
breaking up the schools, and of intimidating many 
who, under other circumstances, would have resorted 
for conversation and instruction to the Zayat. 

On his return to Rangoon, however, notwithstand- 
ing these unfavorable occurrences, Mr. Kincaid boldly 
resumed his labors, and was soon visited by great 
numbers, not only from the city, but from distant 
provinces. This was especially the case during the 
famous annual festival of Gaudama, and, though many 
came to inquire about the truths of science, or the 
operations of the printing press, yet not a few seemed 
serious and anxious to gain a knowledge of the new 
religion. 

Others, however, came as disputants. Thus, in one 
instance, while discoursing from his veranda, a Bur- 
man teacher, interrupting him, inquired — 

" ' Is God without beginning or end, and is he exempt 
from old age and death ?' 

' It is true/ 

1 And where is God ?' 

1 In heaven.' 

'Has God a body ?' 

1 He is a spirit.' 

'How shall we know this, when we cannot see 

him?' 

4 Just as you know you have a soul, though you can- 
not see the soul with the eyes of the body.' 



The Hero Missionary, 55 

* After death, will we see God V 

1 Before death, if you receive divine light/ 

1 What is it V 

I then read to him, as the multitude gathered 
around us, several passages about Christ, his coming 
into the world, his death on the cross, and his resur- 
rection. To believe in Christ, to repent of your sins, 
and pray for the Holy Ghost, is the way to receive 
divine light, and to have great peace of mind, and to 
be free from darkness, and from the fear of death." 

At another time a government man entered while 
he was discoursing to about thirty or forty from the 
veranda, and in a vehement manner began to prove, 
in his own estimation, that all religions were the 
same. 

He went on for about half an hour, rose suddenly 
and walked away. The assembly gazed so intently 
on Mr. Kincaid, that he was conscious they expected 
some reply. He therefore said to them — " That man 
has many words, but they give no light. You all 
know there is true silver, and there is false silver ; 
there are false gods, and a true God. If there is a 
false god there is a false law ; and if there is a true 
God, there is a true law. A man who has a little 
light will consider this, and desire to know the true 
God." Several at once exclaimed — ''This, Sir, is 
true." 



56 Kincaid: 



Among those who presented themselves about this 
time as inquirers, were many cases of peculiar inter- 
est. 

On one occasion, returning from a walk, he found 
in the house a young man, a relative of the governor's 
wife, who for several days had been an attentive lis- 
tener to the instructions imparted from the veranda. 
Shortly after this he came to the house, just at sun- 
rise, to engage in conversation and prayer, and, after 
breakfast, he came again to join in worship. " I see 
and feel too much/' he said, " ever to abandon the cause 
of Christ." 

At another time, when present at evening worship 
— he appeared quite affected, and two or three times, 
in the midst of the sermon, he said aloud, " This is won- 
derful /" 

Subsequently he called very frequently, though 
generally after dark, giving on each visit convincing 
proof of growth both in knowledge and grace. 

About the same time, a man called who lived two 
hundred miles beyond Ava ; he was past the middle 
age of life, very intelligent and talked like a Chris- 
tian — a tract, he said, had fallen into his hands about 
twelve or fourteen months ago ; he read it, and re- 
solved to know more about it, and if possible, see the 
man who taught this religion. He said — "A great light 
is visiting the world J" 



The Hero Missionary, 57 

During the same month a government man called, 
saying, that ever since he first heard he had been 
anxious to hear again. Just as he was leaving, Mr. 
Kincaid said — " Where will you go when you die ? — 
Is it all dark ?" He looked up with a countenance 
indicating a feeling not easily expressed, but made 
no reply. Mr. Kincaid then said — " The calamity of 
death terrifies you ; God you reject, idols you wor- 
ship, and you are ripe in years ; what is beyond 
death ?" The old man, shaking his head, replied — 
'* It is oil dark J 1 

Passing through the street one day, a young man 
came after him and inquired — 

" Are you a teacher of religion ?" 

" Yes ; what do you want?" 

" A book," he replied, " that tells about God and 
Jesus Christ." 

Moung Zoo-the, a young man of promising talents, 
and for some time an inquirer, having applied for 
baptism, Mr. Kincaid said to him — 

" Are you not afraid to be baptized ?" 

" I have been, but it is gone now, and I feel strong." 

" But suppose you are seized, put in prison, and 
beat with a bambo ; will you be strong then?" 

" I cannot deny Christ." 

" But suppose they kill you ?" 

11 Let them kill," he said, " I desire to follow Christ." 
Others, however, were not so bold. The fear of per- 



58 Kincaid : 



secution operated in many cases to hinder a public 
profession of religion — so that at this very time, Ko A, 
one of the native assistants, reported that there were 
more than twenty in and about Eangoon who loved 
Jesus Christ, and were praying and serving God in 
secret. 

Some who came from a distance said, " Why do you 
not go to Ava and all the great cities of the empire ? 
Many have heard of the new religion and the books, 
and wish to understand what it is." 

Favored with such indications of the divine blessing 
as these instances afforded, Mr. Kincaid, when asked 
by a Burmese officer of government how long he in- 
tended to stay, might well say — " Until all Burmah 

WORSHIPS THE ETERNAL GOD." 

And we can easily imagine what faith and hope 
inspired his heart when he wrote, — 

" The fields are really whitening for the harvest — 
the spirit of inquiry appears to be very extensive, 
and is daily becoming more so — the despotic nature 
of the government and the tyranny of the rulers lifts 
a most formidable obstacle to any change in the civil 
or religious establishments of the empire. But He 
who overturned the walls of Jericho, by means that 
mocked all human wisdom, is able to break down the 
strongholds of Satan here,, and purify this land of all 
its abominations. The leaven is evidently at work — ■ 
the most devoted Boodhists think that this religion 



The Hero Missionary. 59 

will prevail. Satan, however, will make an effort, and 
his struggle may be long or short, according to the 
will of heaven. Let all who know Jesus Christ pray 
for the coming down of the Holy Spirit, that this wil- 
derness may bloom like Eden." 



60 Kincaid 



CHAPTER VI. 

UP THE IRRAWADDY. 

"Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters." — Isa. xxxii. 20. 

"Walk 
Boldly and wisely in that light thou hast, 
There is a hand abore will help thee on." 

On the 6th of April, 1833, Mr. Kincaid embarked 
on board a Burman boat for Ava. The journey up 
the Irrawaddy from Rangoon was seven hundred 
miles. He was accompanied by his wife and her sis- 
ter, both English ladies, by Ko Shoon and Ko San- 
lone, two native preachers, and by several other Bur- 
mans. At their departure Ko A, Moung Eu, and a 
number more of the disciples in Rangoon, accom- 
panied them to the water, affectionately bidding them 
God-speed, and promising them a constant remem- 
brance in prayer. Shortly after starting, their boat 
was found to have sprung aleak, and the water came 
in so rapidly as to require one man to keep bailing. 
Before night, however, they succeeded in discovering 
the leak, and, having stopped it, the next morning 
they proceeded on their way. 



The Hero Missionary. 61 

Among the chief dangers which beset them in this 
journey, was their constant exposure to attacks from 
robbers. Several times, indeed, they were in villages 
where robbery and murder had just been committed, 
and, in one instance, their escape seemed to be al- 
most miraculous. While doubling a point in the 
river, a band of ten men rose upon them, all armed 
with spears, Burman swords, and one gun. At the 
same instant two boats made their appearance and 
came toward them with great rapidity. The men 
cried out, " Teacher, come quick ; the robbers are 
upon us." The first company of ten men immediate- 
ly fled on seeing the armed boats. Mr. Kincaid beg- 
ged his boatmen to stay and help against the robbers, 
but all in vain ; they fled, leaving only six beside 
himself, to face twenty-three men who were rushing 
rapidly towards them. They were ordered to stop 
again and again, but utterly refused. As the last 
resort, Mr. Kincaid called the men to follow him, 
and, rushing toward the approaching robbers, he 
threatened them if they did not stop instantly. Just 
at that moment a large Burman boat hove in sight, and 
came down the river ; this, together with Mr. Kin- 
caid's firmness, brought them to a stand. They 
turned about and made off rapidly in the same direc- 
tion they had come. Thus were they mercifully pre- 
served from the hands of unfeeling savages. 

But these dangers were soon forgotten amid the 



62 Kincaid 



striking and cheering instances which they were so 
soon permitted to witness of the power and spread 
of the gospel. Almost every day was marked by 
some occurrence which served to strengthen faith in 
the ultimate triumph of the truth. 

One man, for instance, came, saying that many 
months before, he had obtained a book in Rangoon, 
that told him about the eternal God, who made all 
things ; and about Christ, who died to open the way 
for the forgiveness of sin. He said " the more he had 
thought of this, the more it stuck to him that it was 
true." 

In the city of TMr-a-tvan, many said, " We want to 
hear more of this religion, — if it is true that there is 
a God who is free from sickness, old age and death, 
he must be the most excellent." Five men also de- 
clared their conviction of the truth, and determined 
to read and examine. 

At a large village beyond this, while listening to 
the preaching, a woman cried out, " This God is the 
true God ; this doctrine is the divine communication I" 
Afterwards, in private conversation, she said, as soon 
as she heard, the truth shined upon her mind, and 
she saw instantly that, all her life, she had been 
stupidly worshiping what was no God. 

While stopping at Mey-an-oung, the chief secretary 
of the city, though at first opposed to the distribution 
of the tracts and books, after hearing some passages' 






The Hero Missionary. 



read, said — "These books teach the true God" and 
would not be satisfied until lie had got one of every 
kind, nor would lie let them go until a meal had been 
prepared and they had eaten. 

Still further on they met with a government man, 
who said he had heard much about their books, and 
one of them he had heard read ; ever since he had 
been anxious to. get some of the books. He called 
all his men, told them to ask for books, and read about 
the eternal God. This man frankly admitted that he 
had long had doubts about Gaudama's religion, and 
these had been increased by hearing two or three 
great men in Ava declare their conviction that this 
new religion was true, and would spread through the 
country. He appeared to be very sincere, having a 
heart, disposed by the power of God, to receive the 
Gospel. 

While at Powig-day, an ancient city about as large 
as Rangoon, Mr. Kincaid was invited to go to the 
house of the great Toung-diven teacher, so called, the 
head of the most powerful dissenting sect in Burmah. 
Arriving at the house, he found a venerable old man, 
and thirty or forty more, who had gathered to hear 
them talk. Upon asking him if he had ever read the 
word of God, he said — 

" I read about a year ago, one small book that rea- 
soned about the eternal God and Gaudama." 

" What do vou think ?" 



64 Kincaid 



" 1 have remained careless." 

" Then you are indifferent whether you are right 
or wrong ; so there is no use of my saying any thing 
to you." 

During the conversation, which lasted for some 
time, the old man said he was anxious to know why 
we took so much trouble to publish this religion. 
" For I see," said he, " that you are exposed to dan- 
ger, and are very much reviled and reproached, and 
must be continually among strangers who do not care 
for you." 

" Yes, and we are willing to suffer all this, and 
much more to save the Burmans from the punish- 
ment of hell." 

The interest of the old teacher was so great that 
he afterwards followed Mr. Kincaid to the boat to 
hear more and obtain books. 

The most thrilling incident, however, occurred at 
the town of Tha-ret. It is thus related by Mr. Kin- 
caid : — 

" While I was giving away some tracts to a crowd 
of people that lined the shore, a young man of an in- 
teresting appearance came near, and said, ' Will you 
please give me St. John's History of Christ, and the 
Acts of the Apostles V ' Did you ever read these 
books V ' Yes, teacher Judson gave them to me in 
Prome ; but when the city was burned, I lost the 
books/ I gave him the books, and four tracts, an<? 



The Hero Missionary. 65 

he immediately disappeared in the crowd. Soon 
after this we moved our boat one or two miles farther 
np the town, where we would be more secure from 
the wind. I could not help thinking of this young 
man, but did not expect to see him again. However, 
at dark he made his appearance, and said, there is a 
man in this city besides me who believes in Jesus 
Christ, and he wants to see the teacher, and get books, 
but he thinks the boat is away and has sent me to 
search. We followed the young man, and how were 
we surprised and almost overjoyed to find a venera- 
ble old man full of faith and hope in Christ, though 
he had no other teacher than St. John's History 
of Christ, and the Yiew, accompanied by the in- 
fluence of the Holy Spirit. He said he had loved 
Christ for about two years, and his language was 
that of a man who was acquainted with his own heart. 
He spoke distinctly of the carnal and spiritual mind, 
of regeneration and baptism. The young man be- 
fore mentioned, had heard Dr. Judson preach in 
Prome, and had got books ; afterwards he brought 
them to this town, and read them to this old man, 
and both I trust are born of God. I do not know 
when I have spent such an evening. To find two 
pilgrims in this great desert — to hear them speak so 
boldly and decidedly of their love to Christ in the 
presence of more than for^y persons, filled me with 
joy. Surely this is the work of God ! the power of 



66 Kincaid : 

the cross is felt in this dark land. Burmah ! Bur- 
mah ! cast away thine idols, and hear the word of the 
Lord." 

While laying before a town, a short distance below 
Ava, three or fonr hundred, as had often been the 
case at other places, gathered along the shore and 
listened to the words of eternal life. Among several 
cases of interest that here came to the knowledge- of 
Mr. Kincaid, was one of a man about forty years of 
age. He said that some months before he had read 
a small book that made known to him the living God : 
at first he remained careless, but afterwards his mind 
shook, (as he expressed himself,) and he was afraid to 
worship idols any more ; at the same time, he knew 
not how to worship the eternal God. 

" Can you, sir," said he, " give me the divine com- 
munication ?" 

" Here, sir," said Mr. Kincaid, giving him all the 
Epistles, " are the words of the most high God ; you 
must believe in Christ and pray for divine light." 

The morning of the 20th of May brought them in 
sight of Ava. They had traveled fifty-four days, and 
had visited on their way about three hundred cities 
and villages. In most of these they had preached 
the Gospel, and in all of them had freely scattered 
books and tracts. Their Christian courage and faith- 
fulness — their dangers and deliverances — the evi- 
dence of the spreading influence of Christianity — the 



The Hero Missionary. 67 

awakened spirit of inquiry— the new fields of labor 
found ripening for the harvest — all conspired to make 
this excursion one of remarkable interest both to the 
brethren in Burmah and to the friends of missions in 
America. 

And now, the journey finished, Mr. Kincaid looks 
upon what is to be the scene of his future labors. 
That there are difficulties and trials before him he 
knows, and that he is in himself inadequate to the 
achievement of his mission he deeply feels, " but," 
says he, "I enter this great city relying on the 
pledged promises of Him with whom is the residue 
of the Spirit :" and then, with intense st feeling he is 
heard to pray—" 0, Power Divine ! shed abroad thy 
life-giving Spirit, that those who hear the Gospel may 
feel its potver /" 



68 Kincaid , 



CHAPTER VII. 

OPPOSITION AT AVA. 

" No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper ; and every tongue 
that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heri- 
tage of the servants of the Lord."— Isaiah liv. 17. 

f ' He'll shield you with a wall of fire, 
With holy zeal your heart inspire, 
Bid raging winds their fury cease,- 
And calm the savage breast to peace." 

The reception which Mr. Kincaid met with on his 
arrival at Ava, was very different from that which 
had cheered him in the villages and cities visited on 
the way. He was greatly perplexed in the first in- 
stance to find a house in which he could dwell with 
his family, even for the briefest period. After re- 
peated delays, and when he had found it impossible 
to obtain a government order by which he might le- 
gally take up his abode in the city, he determined to 
take possession of a house without waiting for per- 
mission from the authorities, and through the efforts 
of Ko San-lone he, at length, succeeded in obtaining 
a house on the bank of the river to the east of the 



The Hero Missionary. 69 

city. Only three days after taking possession of the 
house, however, the owner, an old lady of noble blood, 
died ; and, having no children, the property fell into 
the hands of the king. By the royal favor, this house 
was transferred to one of the king's physicians, who 
immediately despatched a messenger ordering the 
premises to be at once vacated. The next day the 
royal doctor came himself. At first he talked loud, 
and behaved quite uncivil, threatening some Burmans 
who were listening to the gospel. At length he be- 
came calm, and, reasoning with him, Mr. Kincaid 
said, " This house is yours, but I cannot leave it until 
I obtain another ; and another I cannot get without 
a government order. I am looking for a house, and 
expect an order soon." This seemed satisfactory. 
" Every day," writes Mr. Kincaid in his journal, " I 
called on a Woon-gee or At-iven-woon* and, sometimes, 
on two or three in a day, asking for permission to rent 
a house, and always met with encouraging words. 
They had excuses for every delay and every broken 
promise. The young prince must have his ears bored. 
This took up eight or nine days. The Chinese am- 
bassador was just taking his leave of the Burman 
court. This was an excuse for four or five days. 
Four wild elephants were to be caught. This took 

* Woon-gee, this is the title of those composing the king's first council. At- 
ven-woon, this is the name given to the second council, each of these councils 
•erng composed of four members. 



70 Kincaid , 



up three days. Thus it went on from day to day. 
One morning I called on Moung Sa, one of the Woon- 
gees, the same man who was an At-iven-woon when 
brother Judson first visited Ava. His countenance 
changed. What had taken place I could not tell. 
He had always appeared pleasant. I remained silent, 
waiting to hear the worst. The Woon-gee said — 

' The king is pained to hear that, in Rangoon, and 
in all the cities and villages along the river, you have 
given books, and preached to the people. It is not 
agreeable to the king to have a new doctrine spread 
among his subjects. It is, therefore, the order of his 
majesty, that this English and American doctrine 
spread no further.' 

1 You know that I am a teacher of religion, and can 
I not preach to the people V 

1 Yes, but you must not give books. Why do you 
not preach and give books to the Musselmen and Ca- 
tholics V 

I told him I had come to Ava to preach to all peo- 
ple, of whatever nation ; and if I am not allowed to 
go on I shall leave Ava, and go to some other nation. 
I could perceive in the course of this morning's con- 
versation, that this nobleman had a rooted aversion 
to foreigners, or else that he felt it to be for his inte- 
rest to appear so." 

When the royal doctor parted from Mr. Kincaid 
he seemed willing to wait until another dwelling 



The Hero Missionary. 7l 

could be secured, but, on the following day, he sent 
his furniture, with an order to put it into the house. 
This they were forbid to do, and in a little time the 
doctor came with about twenty young men, to assist 
in carrying out the order. " I was sitting," says Mr. 
Kincaid, " in the door, and immediately began to rea- 
son with the doctor on the impropriety of using vio- 
lence ; that I was a stranger, in a strange land ; that 
if our books and clothes were put into the street they 
would all be destroyed. The doctor was inexorable ; 
cursed me, and all foreigners ; reviled the Christian 
religion, and threatened my life. He then ordered 
his men to take his things in, and put me, my family, 
and all that belonged to us, into the street. Two 
young men in an instant rushed to the top of the 
stairs, to seize me. I pushed them down, and barred 
the door, so that from all their efforts, they could not 
force their way in. 

Captain Low had got word of my situation, and 
sent me two letters in the forenoon, but the messen- 
gers were stopped and sent back. Two men were 
sent to Moung Sa, a Woon-gee, and he just said, 
1 What can I do V Ouk-moo, whom I had sent away, 
was detained a prisoner in the street. About three 
o'clock, K'o San-lone returned, having been in search 
of a house. As soon as he entered the veranda, the 
doctor seized him, threw him down, and several of 
■ he young men fell upon him. This was too much 



72 Kincaid 



to endure : his cries pierced my heart. I unbarred 
the door, and, with a cane in my hand, rushed out, 
threatening them. Instantly, they let go of him, and 
took up bamboos, pointed at one end, and Burman 
spears, and rushed upon me like young tigers. I 
knocked five of them over with my cane, but only 
one was injured. The door was again barred ; and, 
for the first time, the doctor was disposed to reason. 
As soon as I perceived this, I threw open the door 
and told him to come in. He said he had been very 
angry, and behaved bad ; and begged I would forget 
it. 

The same evening, the British Resident learned 
from Captain Low nearly all the occurrences of the 
day. He wrote to the ministers thus, ' I am sorry to 
hear that a Burmese, named Oo-boy, has assaulted and 
threatened Mr. Kincaid and his family j and that no 
notice has been taken of it by the ministers, although 
one of the Woon-gees was sent to, when the affair be- 
gan. In the most savage countries in the world, 
teachers of religion are treated with kindness and re- 
spect ; and when the news of this affair shall reach 
Bengal, England, and America, the people will cry, 
Shame V I had no knowledge of this till the 22d, 
when I received letters from the Resident and Cap- 
tain Low, saying, ' I hope you will not by forgiveness 
save Oo-boy from merited punishment/ Before noon 
I was requested to appear at the Loot-dau, where all 



The Hero Missionary. 73 

the ministers of state were assembled, with the queen's 
brother at their head. After hearing the whole affair 
from first to last, they said, ' We know you are right, 
and this man deserves punishment ; but as he is the 
king's doctor, and as you are a teacher of religion, 
which enjoins forbearance and forgiveness, we hope 
you will forgive him, and he shall confess at any time 
and in any place you direct.' I said, you must under- 
stand that it was not I who brought up this subject, 
neither did I request it. However, so far as I am 
personally concerned, I cheerfully forgive the man ; 
but he must confess his wrong in the presence of all 
the great ministers. They then said, ' Do you wish 
him to be put in prison, and whipped ?' I said ' No ; 
I only wish to secure myself and family from being 
insulted by rude and ignorant people. They further 
said, ' The fact that you forgive a man who has done 
so bad will be known all through the empire, and 
many will be inclined to examine your doctrine.' — 
Thus we parted — the Woon-gees at the same time giv- 
ing me a written document which was a permission 
to rent any house I should choose. The British Res- 
ident hearing these things, was not satisfied, and dis- 
patched another message, saying, ; As Mr. Kincaid is 
an American, he can do as he pleases ; but as Mrs. 
Kincaid and her sister are British subjects, he was 
bound, as the representative of his Government, to 
see that those who should dare insult them, should 



74 Kitvcaid 



receive merited punishment.' Furthermore, as Oo 
boy had, openly in the streets of Ava, reviled the 
Christian religion, he considered his crime deserving 
severe punishment. At the same time he requested 
a boat, that the whole account of this affair might be 
sent, without delay, to Major Burney, in Rangoon. 
This alarmed them, and the doctor was put in prison. 
The Resident was still dissatisfied. He wrote again, 
complaining of the unwillingness of the ministers to 
punish him as his crimes deserved : said it was be- 
cause he was the royal physician ; but he urged this 
as an additional reason why he should not be spared. 
4 If/ said he, ' Oo-boy was a poor, ignorant man, there 
would be room for mercy ; but a man of his rank de- 
serves none.' Immediately Oo-boy was put in the 
stocks, and the Resident sends a man every day to 
see that he is not screened from justice. I feel very 
much for his wife and children — they visit us every 
day and beg that we would intercede for him. The 
doctor is continually sending to me, to make an effort 
in his favor. I would gladly restore him to his fam- 
ily, if it was in my power." 

Shortly after this Mr. Kincaid succeeded in obtain- 
ing a house, west of the palace, and near the centre 
of the city. Here he was soon permitted to witness 
manifestations of the same eager spirit of inquiry 
which he had met with along the Irawaddy. " In- 
quiry," says he, writing to one of his missionary 



The Hero Missionary, 75 

brethren, " is abroad, is spreading, and the smothered 
flame will burst ere long. Many government men 
call. Among these, two of the head writers call, read, 
and listen. Probably they are spies. I have always 
seen these men among the Woon-gees. Having be- 
gun to preach the gospel here, there is no going back. 
It is impossible to work in the dark, or work quietly, 
as some would call it. I am quite certain that I have 
not taken a step but a government man has been on 
my heels. It is well. I have adopted one course to 
pursue ; that is, to preach Christ to every person, 
and leave the consequences to Him who has promised 
to give the heathen to His Son for an inheritance." 

His impressions with reference to being under the 
jealous eye of officers of government soon proved to 
be well founded. One of the Woon-gees showed him- 
self particularly hostile, and on no less than ten occa- 
sions positively forbid him preaching the gospel and 
giving books. On the 22d of March, 1834, a message 
came directing an immediate appearance before the 
high court of the empire. Upon presenting himself, 
one of the Woon-gees said sternly to Mr. Kincaid — 

" Why have you come to the royal city ?" 

" To diffuse abroad the knowledge of the eternal 
God." 

" Dare you say the religion of the king, his princes, 
his nobles, and his people, is false ?" 

" No, my lord, I do not say so ; but in my own 



76 Kincaid . 



country, and in all the world, before the knowledge 
of the living God appeared, the people worshiped 
idols, and the command of God is, to go into all the 
world, and preach this religion." 

" Stop : it is not proper to say much. It is the 
flash of the king, his ministers, and myself, that you 
should preach no more." 

" If you send us away, the whole world will ridi- 
cule you. Why, my lord, are you afraid of two 
men ?" 

" We do not wish you to remain here : you may go 
to Rangoon." 

" Are there no other towns where we can go ?" 

" Rangoon is a good place ; go there." 

" Much conversation," says Mr. Kincaid, " took 
place about our disciples, our books, and various sub- 
jects connected with the propagation of religion. In 
my conversation, which lasted some time, I used re- 
spectful but firm language. I told him we had no politi- 
cal motive, no connection with any earthly power ; that 
our only object was to teach the people the law of 
God. I observed, ' Under all civilized governments, 
teachers of religion are allowed to preach the divine 
law.' Towards the close, he used less haughty lan- 
guage than in the beginning, but utterly refused to 
reason with me." 

About eight months subsequent to this, Mr. Kin 
jaid was again summoned before the high court. On 



The Hero Missionary, 77 

this occasion all the noblemen and an immense crowd 
of the common people were gathered together at the 
great court. As soon as Mr. Kincaid entered, the 
great Black Book was called for, and chapter after 
chapter was read, in which they had attempted a 
full delineation of his character. They said, in sub- 
stance, that the American teacher had come to the 
Golden city ; had stirred up great numbers of the 
people to despise the gods and religion of Burmah ; 
was disturbing the public peace ; was preaching a 
law which the king, the princes, and the nobles did 
not approve, and was giving books which taught a 
foreign religion — this, and a good deal more, they 
read, and no voice was heard but the reader. 

At length they read a chapter to which Mr. Kin- 
caid could not listen in silence. In substance it was 
this : " About seven months ago the American teacher 
promised to preach no more, and give no more books ; 
but disregarding that promise, he had gone on ever 
since, preaching and giving the books in every direc- 
tion." 

Mr. Kincaid said — " I never heard of such a prom* 
ise before. I promised to give no more of the In- 
vestigator ; and the Woon-gees gave me permission 
to preach and give the sacred Scriptures." 

No sooner had he said this, than a Woon-gee, in a 
boisterous and angry manner, said, " We know noth- 



78 Kincaid 



ing about your books, and you promised to give no 
books. 

Another said — " We know nothing about the dis- 
tinction you make, and are determined to put down 
all preaching and all books which teach a foreign 
religion." 

Mr. Kincaid remonstrated with them — told them 
about the Mahomedans and Papists, who were not 
molested ; upon this, they became more vehement 
and rude, said these people did not preach and give 
books, and that he should not. They then called 
upon him to promise that he would preach no more 
and give no more books of any kind. Mr. Kincaid 
replied — 

" I dare not promise." 

" You must promise," said one of the council. 

" I cannot, I dare not make such a promise : I fear 
God more than kings ; and if you cut off both my arms 
and then my head, I cannot make such a promise." 

" Remain quiet, and you can stay," said another. 

" I dare not remain quiet ; I came here to preach, 
and the command of God is to preach in all the world." 

Half a dozen cried out furiously : " Send him away I 
send him away ! he is not fit to live in the empire !" 

Mr. Kincaid then made an appeal to the prince, 
the queen's brother ; he listened to his story till he 
came to that part where he said the Woon-gees 1 pro- 
mise induced him to rent a house at considerable 



The Hero Missionary. 79 

expense. He then inquired how much money had 
been expended, and said the owner of the house should 
pay back the money. One of the ministers said — 

" If we do not oppose you, we shall go to hell." 

" But do not I preach the divine law ?" inquired 
Mr. Kincaid. 

" We dare not listen to you," said he, " we are 
afraid of hell." 

" Thus," says Mr. Kincaid, in one of his letters, 
11 they would have you think that from pious motives 
they set themselves against you. I have some hopes 
that this fit of bigotry will wear off, and the sun of 
prosperity again shine upon our path. I know the 
day of opposition will come ; I know the empire of 
darkness is not to be overturned without much toil 
and suffering. We must not be discouraged ; if 
driven from one point, we must seize upon another ; 
and as good soldiers of the cross of Christ, we must 
continue struggling on the field of battle, till the tri- 
umphant shout is echoed through heaven and through 
earth, ' The kingdoms of this world have become the 
kingdom of Christ/ Pray fob us— pray for the little 
band of redeemed souls in Ava.'- 



80 Kincakl : 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE GOSPEL IN THE GOLDEN CITY. 

11 Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace : for I am with thee, and 
no man shall set on thee, to hurt thee : for I have much people in this city.' ' 

Acts xviii. 9. 
<l 0, 'tis pleasant, 'tis reviving 

To our hearts, to hear, each day, 
Joyful news, from far arriving, 
How the gospel wins its way, 

Those enlightening 
"Who in death and darkness lay." 

From the preceding chapter, it will be seen that 
the labors of Mr. Kincaid in Ava were attended with 
no ordinary degree of anxiety. Almost from the 
hour of his arrival, however, he was cheered in his 
work with the clearest proofs of the divine blessing. 
His veranda was daily visited by persons of all classes, 
to the number of from one to eight hundred, many 
of whom seemed anxious to learn something about 
the new religion. Only three months after his arri- 
val he writes in his journal : " The very thing that 
ought to rejoice me often troubles me ; it is the num- 
bers that are flocking to the veranda to read and hear 



The Hero Missionary, 81 



the word of God. If I would, I could not resist the 
tide that is setting in. Our veranda is pretty well 
filled during the day, and sometimes forty or fifty 
come in at a time:" About the same time, writing to 
one of his missionary brethren, he says : " It is time 
for us to be awake, and work while the door is open. 
More than two hundred were at the house yesterday. 
We have three promising inquirers. I really think 
the time of Burmah's deliverance is at hand. It is 
no passing cloud that hangs over the land : it is 
spreading in every direction ; and the time must 
come, when showers large and rich will water this 
desert. Oh for that faith that heeds no mountains, 
and regards not the desert vallies." 

With all this, however, he was not so sanguine in 
his hopes as to overlook the difficulties and trials 
which he subsequently encountered in the prosecu- 
tion of his labors. " If you inquire," says he, " what 
is the prospect in Ava ? will you be allowed to preach 
and give books, without being molested ? I cannot 
answer this question ; yet I do not think the govern- 
ment will lift its arm against the cross of Christ. 
We shall often be annoyed, I cannot doubt. In all 
ages the gospel has met with opposition. Can we 
expect it to spread in Burmah without violent oppo 
sition on the part of the priesthood and many of its 
rulers ? For my part, I do not expect it. The sooner 
this war begins, the sooner will Burmah be saved. I 



82 Kincaid : 



long to see the flame kindled that shall purify this 
land of all its abominations." 

To farther this great work, on which his heart was 
set, Mrs. Kincaid devoted a considerable portion of 
her time to teaching, and doubtless access was thus 
had to many who, otherwise, would never have been 
reached. Still, the preaching of the gospel was re- 
lied on as the chief instrumentality, and it was not 
long till Mr. Kincaid was permitted to see evidence 
of its taking deep hold on the hearts of the people. 
Cases began to come to his knowledge which gave 
convincing proof not only of conviction of sin, but of 
saving faith in Jesus Christ. The first convert bap- 
tized was a woman about forty years of age. In giv- 
ing an account of her conversion to Christianity, she 
said with great simplicity : " I know it is the true re- 
ligion, because it takes away my pride, and makes me 
feel like a little child." And, being asked why she 
wished to be baptized, she replied — " I believe it is 
the appointed road for those who worship God?" 
Her baptism is described by Mr. Kincaid as a scene 
of peculiar beauty, and as an occasion of remarkable 
interest. Repairing to the Irrawaddy, 

" We knelt down," he says, " upon the shore, and 
lifted up our hearts in thanksgiving to Almighty 
God for the tokens of his divine favor. Mali Niva 
Oo was then buried beneath the wave, in obedience 
to her Saviour's will. How strikingly solemn this 



The Hero Missionary. 83 

hour ! How holy is this place ! These waters, that 
have for ages been echoing the song of heathen wor- 
shipers, now listen to the voice of prayer rising to 
the throne of the Eternal. The spire of the royal 
palace gleams over our heads, and the walls of the 
Golden city fling their shadow upon the waters ; but 
we heed it not. The King eternal, immortal, invisi- 
ble, and only wise God our Saviour, has bid us plant 
his banners here. If God be for us, who can be 
against us ? Several of the heathen were spectators of 
this scene ; but no one offered the least insult in word 
or in action. Not a breath was heard but the voice of 
prayer, and the words of the divine commission. 

We hope this may be the commencement of good 
days in Ava. Let waters break forth in this desert ; 
let the wilderness blossom ; let the Lord's house be 
established on the top of these mountains 1" 

Only a few days subsequent to this, they were 
again permitted to gather on the river shore, on the 
occasion of the baptism of Moung Kay, who, only 
four months previous, had been acknowledged one 
of the most popular preachers of Boodhism in the 
royal city. This man first heard the Gospel from the 
lips of Ko San-lone, one of Mr. Kincaid's native assist- 
ants. He, finding him one day explaining the sacred 
Pali to a large assembly of venerable men, sat down 
among them, and, when a favorable opportunity of- 
fered, he said to the preacher — " Have you heard 



84 Kincaid 



that there is a God eternal, who is not, and never was 
subject to any of the infirmities of men ?" 

" No." 

" There is such a God, and his sacred word is in 
Burmah." 

He then explained to him the leading doctrines of 
the Christian system. The truth pierced his heart. 
He asked for a book. The fifth day after he threw 
away his beads ; forsook the pagodas ; refused to 
bow to idols, and made no offerings to the priests. 
He read incessantly till the New Testament was gone 
through. He was especially affected with the view 
he there received of Christ's mediation, and at length, 
after carefully examining himself, he came forward, 
saying— 

" I think I have a new heart. I see every thing 
differently from what I formerly did ; every thing is 
so new that I can hardly sleep or eat." 

The knowledge of his conversion, as might be sup- 
posed, created through the city no little stir, and his 
baptism was regarded as an event promising great 
advantage to the future interests of the mission. 

The general attention awakened about this time to- 
wards the claims of the christian religion, is strikingly 
exhibited in the numerous cases of interest alluded 
to by Mr. Kincaid, in his journal. From this it ap- 
pears that many men of distinction, and officers of gov- 
ernment, as well as persons of humbler capacity and 



The Hero Missionary. 85 

station, came often to inquire after the truth, or to 
bear their simple and honest testimony to the expe- 
rience of its power on their souls. 

On several occasions, by invitation, he visited the 
Palace, and was frequently sent for to converse with 
Prince Mekara, the most learned man, perhaps, in 
the empire. " At first," says Mr. Kincaid, " he seem- 
ed to be anxious only about science ; but, of late, he 
has become a student in the scriptures. He says, that 
St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans is wonderful beyond 
anything he ever read. I found him one evening 
comparing several passages together : he had the 
places marked which speak of the law of faith. I said, 

1 Your highness will be much gratified in reading 
the Old Testament scriptures. , 

1 Why ?' he inquired. 

' Those writings give an account of the most won- 
derful events from the beginning of the world to the 
coming of Christ/ 

■ Be it so : this divine law must be more important 
than any history.' He then inquired — 

1 How is a person to know that he is a believer, and 
that he will be saved from all his sins V 

I gave a short relation of my own Christian expe- 
rience, particularly the peace I felt when the eyes of 
my understanding were first opened to see the beauty 
of the divine character. He listened with the most 
eager attention to every word. I urged the import- 



86 Kincaid : 



ance of venturing all on Christ, who alone can save 
us from our sins and present us pure and holy before 
the throne of God." 

At a subsequent interview, this Prince said — 
" Every thing I read in your books I admire. It is a 
pure and holy religion, different from any other." 

Secretly, there were many who gave similar testi- 
monies. One, for instance, would say — " I see that 
this is the most excellent religion." Another — " The 
more I read of it, the more fully am I convinced that 
it is the true religion." And, another — " I believe 
in the religion taught by Jesus Christ. All other 
religions appear foolish and absurd when compared 
with this." 

But some who even went further than this, and 
gave encouraging evidence of conversion, were want- 
ing in the courage and faith necessary, under the 
circumstances, to a public confession of Christ. 

" Fear," writes Mr. Kincaid, " keeps them from 
coming out openly on the side of truth ; though 
many, in secret, declare their full conviction of the 
truth of the Christian religion." 

From the first, Mr. Kincaid did not feel a doubt 
with reference to the ultimate success of this impor- 
tant mission, and though, in the prosecution of his 
work, much occurred to discourage his heart, we find 
him laboring on with a growing confidence in the 
final triumph of the Gospel. He saw clearly that there 



The Hero Missionary. 87 

never before had been such an opportunity for mak- 
ing vigorous exertions for the salvation of Burniah, 
and, leaving all in the hands of God, he was resolved 
to labor unceasingly while he was favored with an 
open door. 

" It is true," he says, " the government at times 
has been feverish, and on three or four occasions, has 
put itself into a threatening posture ; yet all this has 
quickly subsided. Our heavenly Father has set open 
the door of hope, and the door of faith, so that, al- 
though there may be much that is trying, and some- 
times even perplexing, we cannot but feel that a 
foundation is being laid for the introduction of great 
and manifold good into this benighted empire. The 
husbandman who enters a wild and cheerless forest, 
is obliged to toil long and painfully, before he can 
see a single field whitening for the harvest : he does 
not sit down, however, in hopeless sorrow. The 
hardy woodman's axe echoes through the gloomy 
forest, and, in process of time, there is an opening 
made, through which the light of day descends, and 
the fattening dews of heaven distil ; then comes the 
delightful labor of casting in the seed, and gathering 
the joyous harvest. Shall we be less patient, less 
laborious, less hopeful ? Shall we say this is the work 
of many long and painful years, and therefore aban- 
don the labor in despair? Many long years may 



88 Kincaid 



pass, before the reaper's song shall echo through 
these vallies ; yet that day will surely come." 

Nor was that day long delayed, At the close of 
the first year spent in Ava a church of Christ had 
been planted^and during the three remaining years 
of his residence in that city, hundreds of thousands 
heard the word of eternal life, and though multitudes 
of these never went farther than to relinquish their 
belief in the superstitions of Gaudama, yet, doubt- 
less, a great number silently accepted the faith of the 
Gospel, while others, who openly avowed their love 
to Christ, gave the most cheering evidence of having 
been made the subjects of a thorough spiritual 
change. 



The Hero Missionary. 89 



CHAPTER IX. 

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMMALEH MOUNTAINS. 

' l To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond, and not to boast in another 
man's line of things made ready to our hand." — 2 Cor. x : 16. 

" We see new realms to truth expand, 

Where truth was never known before ; 
Fields ripened for the reaper's hand, 

Mines rich in everlasting ore." 

No place in Burmah afforded such opportunities 
for the spread of the truth as Ava. Being the capital 
of the empire, and the seat of the G-olden Presence, 
persons were to be met with here from almost every 
part of the realm ; and what transpired in Ava, there- 
fore, soon became known in the most remote portions 
of the land. 

Availing himself of this advantage, Mr. Kincaid 
sought every opportunity of forming an acquaintance 
with those who came from distant provinces, that he 
might put into their hands the word of God, to be 
carried to the regions from whence they came. 

In his intercourse with some of these strangers, 
Mr. Kincaid became deeply interested in a numerous 



90 Kincaid : 



people known as Shyans, and occupying the pro- 
vinces on the northern frontiers of the empire. 
After obtaining all the information he could con- 
cerning the position of their country, he conceived 
the plan of a tour of exploration, to extend, if possible, 
as far as the borders of China and the frontiers of 
Assam. This design meeting the approval of his 
brethren of the Mission, he began at once to make 
the necessary arrangements for the excursion. 

Hitherto no effort had been made, by any agent 
of the Christian church, to explore the field north 
and east of Ava ; and, anxious to ascertain the extent 
of the population, the languages spoken, the charac- 
ter of the people, and the facilities for doing them 
good, Mr. Kincaid resolved to undertake the journey, 
and thus determine what could be done for the sal- 
vation of these millions of immortal beings who had 
never heard the Gospel. When first made acquainted 
with his plans, the government interposed serious 
objections, and forbad him passing through the upper 
provinces. 

" The alleged reason," says Mr. Kincaid, " was that 
I had got permission to remain in Ava, and here I 
preached and gave books ; but was not satisfied, and 
now wished to go through all the northern cities of 
the empire. This would not do ; it was asking more 
than any foreigner had reason to expect. Without 
any delay I went to the Thoot dau. The spacious 



The Hero Missionary. 91 



hall was crowded with hundreds of people, and the 
ministers were immersed in business. After a fati- 
guing half hour of elbowing and squeezing, I got 
through the dense mass of petitioners, secretaries, 
and petty officers, and found myself fairly in the pre- 
sence of the lords of the land, with the queen's bro- 
ther at their head. 

1 What does the American teacher want V was the 
first question. 

c Some days since, I made every arrangement to go 
on to Assam — my boat and every thing is ready ; but 
to-day a message was brought that your lordships are 
opposed to my going by the way of Bomau and Mo- 
gaung ; and my object in calling is to inquire into 
the ground of your opposition/ 

1 You must not go/ was the stern and prompt reply 
of two noblemen at the same time — one of them 
stroking down a huge tuft of beard that hung from 
the end of his chin, and putting on a countenance of 
great self-complacency — ' we cannot consent to your 
going through our northern cities, and giving books 
to the people. If you wish to go to Assam, go by the 
way of Bengal ; that is a good way.' 

1 But that would take me a whole year.' 

' Let it take eight years/ said the haughty noble- 
man with the handful of black beard. 

1 You know I am a religious teacher, and should be 
allowed to go where I choose.' 



92 Kincaid 



1 You must not go/ was reiterated by two or three. 

I made an effort to get from them the reason of 
their opposition, but it was unavailing. They ap- 
peared unwilling to get into any discussion, and I 
left them." 

Subsequently he says, " I called on the Sa-le prince 
(queen's brother.) He was seated in a hall of great 
extent ; the roof was supported by a great number 
of gilt pillars, from thirty to forty feet in height. 
There were three landscape paintings hanging on 
the walls, not less than ten feet square, and on every 
side was evidence of wealth and eastern pride. The 
prince sat on an unpretending cushion, near the cen- 
tre of the hall, dictating to a secretary a letter of in- 
structions to the governor of Mogaung. Between 
one or two hundred officers, with their attendants, 
were sitting at a distance, on one side of the hall. I 
had been seated but a minute, when the prince ob- 
served me, and inquired the object of my visit. I 
related briefly my wish to go through the north of 
Burmah to Assam. He replied, ' that the ministers 
had taken up the subject, and were not agreed ; and 
as long as the king's ministers were not of one mind, 
it would be impracticable. ' Considerable conversa- 
tion took place, but the main point was kept at a dis- 
tance. Leaving the prince, I called immediately on 
Moung Yeet, an atwenwoon, whom I knew to be one 
of the principal opposers of my proposed tour. He 



TJie Hero Missionary, 93 

was very affable. After hearing my statements, he 
said, frankly, though not haughtily — which is uncom- 
mon for a Burman of high rank — 

'As one of the king's ministers, I have opposed 
your design ; but now I understand it in a different 
light from formerly, and will lay it before his Majes- 
ty's officers.' 

I tried, again and again, to get him to express his 
own opinion, but he was as cautious as if his life de- 
pended on keeping his own views concealed. I told 
him I had just seen the Sa-16 prince, and Tie made no 
objection, only said the ministers were not agreed. 

; Did the prince say you might go ?' inquired the 
minister, eagerly. 

1 No, he did not say that — he only said you, minis- 
ters, were not agreed ; and now, if you and one or 
two more, who have opposed it, say go, all difficulties 
will be removed.' " 

After many delays, however, he at length obtained 
a permit from government, and, on the 27th of Janu- 
ary, 1837, embarked on the Irrawaddy in a boat pro- 
vided and despatched in his charge, by the British 
Resident. The region of country through which he 
passed is described, in his journal, as one of uncom- 
mon beauty, and, as in other instances, the facts and 
incidents which transpired on the trip, served to give 
increased importance to Burmah as a field of labor, 
and to afford the most cheering prospect of its ulti- 



94 Kincaid : 



mate evangelization. It would be instructive to fol- 
low Mr. Kincaid in all the interesting features of this 
journey ; the limits of the present chapter, however, 
forbid more than a brief reference to some of the 
most remarkable occurrences noted in his journal. 

Aside from observations on the scenery through 
which they passed, and a close inspection of some an- 
cient monuments of Boodhism found by the way, 
nothing of special moment occurred until the close 
of the third day, when, happening to stop for the 
night at a small village called Ya-tha-ya, it was dis- 
covered they had fallen upon a nest of robbers. Be- 
ing too late, however, to proceed further, it was 
deemed prudent to prepare themselves against any 
attack, and Mr. Kincaid thus describes the measures 
adopted for their protection, with their success. 
" We had in the boat one musket and one pair of cav- 
alry pistols. These I loaded with care. I placed the 
two oldest Burmans on the shore, with the musket, to 
keep watch by turns ; had the boat so fastened that 
we could push off at a moment's warning • told the 
rest of the men to sleep, and, with the pistols lying 
beside me, I sat and watched till day-break. It was 
an uncomfortable night. About ten o'clock in the 
evening, a deep-toned gong sounded in the head-man's 
house. In a few minutes the villagers were together, 
talking boisterously, and sometimes angrily. The 
evening being clear and still, I could hear much that 



The Hero Missionary. 95 

was said. The people were charged by the head-man 
to keep away from my boat. I also heard a good deal 
about spirits and opium. After an hour or so, all was 
still till about midnight, when the gong again sent 
forth its deep tones, echoing among the trees and 
rocks. In a few minutes I heard voices, and saw 
lights gliding along among the trees and cabins. All 
collected in the house of the head-man, and began 
talking, as before. My men on the shore inquired 
what was to be done. I told them to remain firm, 
unless a large number came down, and, in that case, 
come upon the boat immediately. It was an hour of 
deep anxiety ; for no one who understood their lan- 
guage could mistake their character. Presently a 
tall man came down, and when within forty or fifty 
yards of us, my men hailed him and ordered him to 
stop. With an angry, coarse voice, he inquired why 
they stopped him, and was promptly told that I had 
so directed. I immediately spoke, and told him it 
would be unsafe to come nearer ; that I had heard 
their language and witnessed their proceedings, and 
was fully prepared to resist them ; that we were 
peaceable people, seeking only to benefit others, but 
should not tamely fall into the hands of lawless men. 
After looking at us a few minutes, he returned, and 
the villagers remained together all night, talking, 
singing, drinking spirits, and smoking opium." 
On the afternoon of the next day Mr. Kincaid met 



9G Kincaid 



with a company of a very different character. "I 
came," says he, " upon a party of Shyans, twenty-five 
or thirty, male and female. They had built up their 
fires, and were cooking rice upon the shore. They 
were elderly people, had one large boat, and in it 
were provisions and various articles which make up 
what this people call comfortable. They were all 
dressed in coarse, dark blue cotton, and each one, 
whether at work or not, kept smoking from a pipe 
that had a stem three or four feet long. I let my 
boat go on, and remained half an hour in conversa- 
tion with them, as most of them spoke Burman very 
well. They had come from a province about two 
hundred and fifty miles north-east of this, and were 
on a pilgrimage to places of reputed merit in various 
parts of the empire. I inquired, 

' "Why do you take so long a journey V 

One of them, whose face was wrinkled with age, 
though he was active and spoke with energy, replied, 
' Our years are many, and we are going to visit all 
the most distinguished gods in the kingdom, that we 
may get peace and merit before death.' 

1 Have you failed of obtaining peace, by worshiping 
the gods in your own country V 

1 Yes ; and we have heard there are gods in Ama- 
rapiira, Ava, and Pagan, and that under them are re- 
lics of Gaudama, which possess indescribable power. 
To visit those places, and make offerings and prayers, 



The Hero Missionary, 97 

is meritorious.' As he uttered these words, he laid 
down his pipe, looked me full in the face, and said, 
gravely and anxiously, ' What do you think — is this 
true V 

1 No ; it is all wrong,. The gods you are going to 
see, are made of bricks and lime. Your offerings 
they cannot see ; your prayers they cannot hear. 
The true God, who made heaven and earth ; made 
you and me ; gave us power to speak and think ; 
gives us the three seasons — the warm, the cold, and 
the rainy ; the eternal God, whose presence, power, 
and goodness are everywhere— that God is here, and 
hears all we say. He sees you and me, though with 
our bodily eyes we cannot see him. He is holy, free 
from sin, never sick, never sees old age, and never 
dies. He is God, the true God, and beside him there 
is no God.' 

1 Wonderful language'— ^ Extraordinary words,' re- 
plied half a dozen, with one breath — and then urged 
to hear more. Such a company of sober, venerable 
old men and women, entirely ignorant of the Being 
who made them, yet distinctly conscious of their ac- 
countability, is a scene deeply affecting." 

Only a day or two after this, when at Kyouk-man, 

a village of fifty or sixty houses, there occurred an 

incident of thrilling interest. They had stopped 

there for the night, and having a little moonlight, Mr. 

Kincaid spoke to a number of the people gathered 

5 



98 Kinca/.d: 



on the shore. After they had gone to their homes, 
and when all in the boat were asleep, " I was aroused, 
says Mr. Kineaid, " by a low voice, saying, * Teacher, 
teacher ;' and, starting up, I saw a man standing in 
the water, by the boat. Before I had time to make 
any inquiry, he began to apologize for disturbing me 
at that time of the night, and said he had been absent, 
and when he returned, a neighbor read to him a tract 
about God. Learning where he had got it, and fear- 
ing I might be gone before day-light, he resolved to 
come at once. It was very dark, but I could perceive 
by his voice that he was an old man. In few words 
I explained to him the character of God, and the pro- 
vision God has made for the happiness of intelligent 
oeings ; and gave him a small book and two tracts. 
The poor old man went away, pouring forth a torrent 
of kind wishes, and saying he wished to understand 
this. For the first time in his life, he has heard there 
is an eternal God, who made the heavens and the 
earth. For the first time in his life, he has in his 
hand the gospel of peace." 

The next night was spent at Kyouk-Kyih, a beau- 
tiful town, distinguished as the residence of the Gov- 
ernor of the province of Monhein. Calling upon the 
Governor, he received Mr. Kineaid in the most friend- 
ly manner, and gave him much information relating 
to the population of his province. He ordered din- 
ner also, and though Mr. Kineaid remonstrated, tell- 



The Hero Missionary. 99 

ing him he had just dined, and would only take 
a cup of tea with him, it availed nothing. " A Gov- 
ernor," he said, " should be an example to others, and 
how would it appear, if I should let you go away 
without any expression of hospitality?" His wife 
and family were equally kind and pleasant with him- 
self. Mr. Kincaid gave her a New Testament, and 
the Governor two tracts. They appeared much 
gratified with their gifts, and afterwards engaged 
freely in a long conversation on the subject of religion. 
The next morning, just as they were about to leave, 
the Governor's servants came down to the boat, bear- 
ing a present of rice, dried fish and vegetables. 

In one village still further up the river, a large 
room in the head-man's house was filled with attentive 
hearers, and Mr. Kincaid continued reading and 
speaking to them until a very late hour. The con- 
duct of the whole assembly was praiseworthy, and 
several of them said, they had never before supposed 
there was any religion in the world besides their own, 
worth thinking about ; but, said they, this idea of an 
eternal God, and of a way to escape the punishment 
of hell, must be considered. A similar reception was 
given them at a number of towns both on the Irra- 
waddy and the Mogaung rivers — the head-man pro- 
viding a room for a public service, and the people, 
flocking in and manifesting, in every instance, the 
most respectful attention. 



100 Kincaid : 



At length, after being twenty-two days on the way 
and having traveled about three hundred and fifty 
miles from Ava, they reached Mogaung, the most 
northern city of Burmah. Here, beneath the shadow 
of the Himmaleh mountains, he found spreading be- 
fore him the vast wilderness which separates Burmah 
from Hindostan, skirted by a territory crowded with 
people, and abounding in mines of amber and serpen- 
tine stone. 

During the time spent here a thorough survey was 
made of the city, and several excursions were taken 
into the surrounding country. But after gathering 
all the information possible with reference to the ex- 
tent and character of the population laying farther 
north, Mr. Kincaid was led to doubt whether there 
was any object of sufficient importance to warrant 
him in proceeding with his undertaking. But, be- 
side this, he found it impossible to procure either 
provisions suitable for his journey, or men to accom- 
pany him, and having carefully weighed the matter, 
he, at last, concluded to set his face toward home. 
After taking an affecting leave of the Governor and 
his household, in which he repeated many things he 
had before told them of the eternal God, and of that 
futurity to which they were all hastening, he again 
embarked, and began with great rapidity to descend 
the river toward Ava. On reviewing this tour, to- 
gether with the previous labors bestowed on Burmah, 



The Hero Missionary, 101 

Mr. Kincaid was led to the following encouraging re- 
flections on the state and prospects of that mission : 
" The prospect of enlightening and saving the peo- 
ple of this empire, has greatly increased in my mind, 
during my tour north. Not that I ever doubted its 
ultimate accomplishment, but obstacles appear less 
formidable, and ways of gaining access to the people 
less difficult. I may be too sanguine, ' too much in- 
clined to look on the bright side ;' but after four years' 
acquaintance with the government of Ava, and after 
traveling the whole length of the empire, visiting al- 
most every town, and city, and village, on the Irra- 
waddy, from the Martaban gulf to the Himmaleh 
mountains, and forming an acquaintance with many 
of the provincial authorities, and learning with some 
degree of exactness, the extent, habits, and character 
of the various tribes of Burmah, it will be allowed 
that I have had at least an opportunity of forming 
some idea of what can be done. Eight years ago, no 
one would have supposed it possible that a mission- 
ary could go to Ava, and for four years preach the 
Gospel publicly, and baptize believers, and form them 
into a Christian church ; that, as a teacher of re- 
ligion, he would be received kindly into the houses 
of princes and noblemen ; and that he would be al- 
lowed to travel about in the neighboring towns and 
villages, giving books, and preaching to the people. 
All this has been done, in the most frank and open 



102 Kincaid 



manner. Twenty have been baptized, and formed 
into a church. On the Lord's day they meet, and 
sing, and pray, and hear the Gospel preached. Add 
to this, a great multitude have heard of God, and of 
the Mediator, and have read more or less of the Holy 
Scriptures. This, too, has been done in weakness, 
and with, very insufficient means. Now, the field is 
better known — the prejudices, vices and habits of 
the people are better known. When all these facts 
are duly considered, there is much to inspire confi- 
dence in the use of those means which God has ap- 
pointed for the conversion of the world. Obstacles 
there are, and will be as long as sin and idolatry 
exist, but they are not insurmountable, when en- 
countered in the name and strength of Him wno 
came to destroy the works of the devil." 



The Hero Missionary. 103 



CHAPTER X. 

IN PERILS AMONG ROBBERS. 

" The Lord is my light and my salvation ; whom shall I fear ? The Lord 
is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I he afraid 1 When the wicked, even 
mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled 
and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, mine heart shall not 
fear." — Psalm xxii. 1-3. 

" When exposed to fearful dangers, 

Jesus will his own defend ; 
Borne afar 'midst foes and strangers, 

Jesus will appear your friend ; 
And his presence 

Shall be with you to the end." 

The perils and privations which Mr. Kincaid suf- 
fered in his passage down the Irrawaddy from Mog- 
aung,.form one of the most thrilling chapters of his 
wonderful history. The whole land was at this time 
in arms, all the horrors of anarchy and civil war had 
fallen upon the empire, and large bodies of men, un- 
der a sort of military organization, w r ere prowling 
about the country — robbing and burning cities and 
villages, thus rendering all travel exceedingly dan- 
gerous. 



104 Kincaid 



He succeeded, however, in making a rapid passage 
down the river, to a point about two hundred miles 
from Ava, when he fell successively into the hands 
of two bands of banditti. His own language, used in 
a public address, though never before printed, will 
best convey to the mind of the reader an idea of his 
dreadful sufferings while in the hands of one of these 
savage hordes : 

" We were passing gently down the stream," said 
Mr. Kincaid, " not, however, without frequent false 
alarms that robbers were near, for we had been in- 
formed at the last village where we stopped that we 
should soon have to pass through a mountainous re- 
gion and a deep ravine, where the robbers were in 
great numbers. It was about 10 o'clock in the morn- 
ing — I was lying under the cover of my boat engaged 
in reading, when one of my boys cried out, ' Teacher, 
the robbers.' I had so frequently heard this alarm, 
and as frequently found it to be false, for my people 
always stood in great fear, that I paid but little atten- 
tion to it. Again he called out, ' Teacher, the rob- 
bers.' I looked out, and sure enough there. was a 
boat full of armed men. I told one of the boys to 
hold up the musket, the only arms we had in the boat, 
and we carried this by the order of government, no 
boat being allowed to go up or down the rivers with- 
out a Burmese musket. The robbers, seeing that we 
were armed went back towards the shore shouting. 



The Hero Missionary. 105 

I sat down again unconcerned, and supposed that we 
should not again be molested. In a few minutes, 
however, my boys told me that more robbers were 
again approaching. This time I showed myself, and 
held up the musket, when they wheeled about with 
boats, and with loud shouting returned again towards 
the shore. I still had but little uneasiness, and was 
soon engaged with my book ; but only to give it up 
for increased and fearful danger. With a countenance 
manifesting great agitation, one of my boys cried — 
1 teacher, teacher, the robbers, the robbers V and 
when I stood up, to my surprise I saw five or six 
large boats full of armed robbers, coming down upon 
us with great rapidity, yelling in the most awful and 
terrifying manner. I began to feel now that danger 
was indeed near, that I was unarmed, and all alone, 
for my affrighted and cowardly crew had laid them- 
selves down in the bottom of the boat on their faces, 
crying in the most piteous manner, and I knew that 
I could obtain no help from them, and that resistance 
under such circumstances would be madness. When 
the robbers were within hailing distance, I said to 
them in Burmese, their own language, at the same 
time spreading out my hands — ' Come, and take all 
we have got.' The only reply was — ' Set down, set 
down/ and by this time there were not less than 
thirty musket pointed at my boat. I told them with 
as much firmness and apparent indifference as I could 



106 Kincaid: 



summon up in so trying a situation, that I would not 
set down, for I knew that if I attempted to sit down, 
they would have riddled me with their bullets. I 
told them not to fire, that I was a foreigner, and the 
Governor had promised his protection to me, and 
that if I was injured it would be at their cost. But 
I discovered that they were not to be intimidated 
either by threats or by the presence of a foreigner, 
fori had scarcely spoken the last sentence, when thirty 
or more bullets from their muskets were fired into my 
boat, but through a merciful and wonderful provi- 
dence, without doing any of us the slightest injury. 
I heard some of the balls whiz past my ears, others 
struck the boat, and some fell into the water. The 
discharge of this volley of musketry was followed by 
the most piercing and horrid cries, and before I had 
time sufficient to recover from the shock of their fire, 
my boat was surrounded by these villainous robbers 
— and more than seventy spears encircled almost 
every part of my body, so that I was completely en- 
cased by steel points touching me. I could not move 
without feeling the points of their spears, but God 
was with me and sustained my courage. I did not 
lose my presence of mind. I was ordered into their 
boat, and they immediately commenced beating my 
four men and plundering the boat of its contents, 
calling out to me, ' Where is your money ?' I gave 
them all I had. This, however, was not satisfactory. 



The Hero Missionary. 



109 



They immediately commenced stripping me. They 
took my hat, and shoes, and jacket, and vest, and were 
about to take my shirt and pantaloons, when I made 
some resistance, and told them that I would not be 
thus treated, but that they must take me before their 
chief man. By this time the boats had reached the 
shore. An armed guard of several men was placed 
over me ; I was ordered to lie down, while the rob- 
bers went on shore to divide their plunder. Nor 
could I keep from smiling to see the ludicrous appear- 
ance that many of these wretched men presented. 
One had on a shirt, another a vest, another a jacket , 
and another a pair of pantaloons. 

There had been many boats robbed during this and 
a few preceding days, from which they had secured 
a large amount of plunder and a great number of 
prisoners. Their deliberations turned, however, upon 
their foreign prisoner, and the course they should 
take with him gave them very great uneasiness. I 
could see from where Hay in the boat, that they were 
under considerable excitement, and that they con- 
templated getting rid of me in a manner that would 
cause the least trouble to their future security. I 
was not without my fears of the consequences, well 
knowing that they were in the habit of destroying 
their prisoners, whenever they had a suspicion that 
their escape would involve them in trouble. At the 
same time I felt that the superintending providence 



110 Kincaid 



of God had faithfully preserved my life amidst scenes 
and dangers quite as fearful as the one in which I 
was now involved, and I had a faint hope that I 
should be preserved. In these trying circumstances, I 
lifted my heart to God in prayer for his continued 
protection. And his love and care were in a most 
wonderful manner exemplified. 

After the robbers had divided their spoils equally, 
I was sent for to appear before the great man of the 
band, their chief. Not the least intimidated by the 
presence and the near contact of these wretched out- 
laws, these men of blood and carnage, whose very 
countenances were enough to cause the heart to sink, 
I passed with great apparent indifference through 
their numbers, until I came near to the chief, who 
was seated on the ground in the centre of the circle 
his men had made around him, and under a tempo- 
rary awning, made by the large boat sail of coarse 
cloth, which was supported in the centre by a pole 
and secured at several points in the ground by their 
spears. 

I sat down by this chief, and he entered into con- 
versation with me freely as to who I was and where 
I was going, and what was my business ; to these and 
many other questions of a similar character, I gave 
him correct answers, and solicited him to allow me 
and my boat's crew to go on our way, now that he 
had obtained all our property. I was buoyed up with 



The Hero Missionary. Ill 

the hope that he would grant my petition, as he list- 
ened very patiently to my conversation. He was a 
man dignified in his appearance, and possessed an 
open and benevolent countenance ; and several times 
while I sat by him, he betrayed, but for a moment 
only at each time, his sympathy for my condition. — 
Noticing this trait in his character, and knowing that 
he had the fullest confidence of his men, that his word 
was respected and his command supreme among them, 
I thought I would try how far I could gain upon him 
in order to obtain my liberty. Having been already 
deprived of my hat and jacket and shoes, and know- 
ing how much I should suffer during the night from 
the cold dew and dampness of the weather, for I ex- 
pected to remain out all night, I put my hand on the 
knee of the chief, and represented to him my desti- 
tute and exposed condition, and how I should suffer 
from the dewy and chilly night without sufficient 
clothing, and asked him to give me back one of my 
jackets ; and he immediately ordered one of his men 
to give me up a jacket, which order was promptly 
and without the least murmur obeyed. Finding some 
success, and sensible that this would not be enough 
to protect me during sleep, I again solicited him to 
return me a cloak, of cloth of a coarse material, but 
very comfortable and well made, which I had ordered 
from Bengal expressly for this journey just before I 
started, and which had not been much worn. Feel- 



112 Kincaid : 



ing satisfied that if I could obtain this I should be very 
comfortable at night, I looked around for it and dis- 
covered a fellow of most desperate appearance, hav- 
ing all the villainy of a cold-blooded murderer in his 
countenance, to whose lot it had fallen, sitting with 
it under him. When the chief asked for it he drew 
it still closer underneath him, as if to hide it, but I 
pointed it out to the chief, and he bid him give it up 
to me. The fellow, cursing, took it out, and it being 
enveloped in a piece of coarse stuff, he took hold of 
one end of the cloak, and finding that it was an arti- 
cle of more value than he at first supposed it to be, 
muttered dissatisfaction, and again placed it under 
him, and drew his sword with an apparent determi- 
nation not to give up his prize and his share of the 
plunder without a struggle, at the expense of blood, 
and several of his wild comrades appeared to rally 
around him. I was not, however, to be deterred 
from my purpose with these threats ; I again called 
the attention of the chief to my cloak, but he turned 
away his head, as I spoke, which appeared to be a 
signal of dissatisfaction, as in a moment, a hundred 
swords were drawn, and with dreadful imprecations 
and yells, they rushed towards me, in great passion, 
as if to destroy me. This was enough. I saw that 
further entreaty was vain, and that I had created the 
dissatisfaction of the chief by my earnest and repeat- 
ed applications for his clemency and favor. There 



The Hero Missionary, 113 

appeared now to be great confusion among the rob- 
bers, who were walking about in terrible fury. Soon 
after this I was ordered to the boat under a strong 
guard, and was informed that the robbers were sit- 
ting in council and deliberating on my case whether 
to kill or release me. 

It was a state of considerable anxiety and suspense 
to me, but I was relieved only to make uncertainty 
certain ; for when the council broke up, the youngest 
of my Burman boys, a lad about sixteen, approached 
me, overwhelmed in tears, and told me that the rob- 
bers had decided to behead me at sundown, the time 
of day when all Burman executions took place. The 
knowledge of my sentence was almost more than I 
could bear. For a few minutes I was completely 
overpowered, a cold perspiration came over me, my 
breathing was short and interrupted, my mouth be- 
came parched, and my tongue seemed to cleave to 
the roof of my mouth. It was not so much the fear 
of death, but the character of my death. I looked 
upon the dreadful place in which I was called to die, 
and the nature of the circumstances by which I was 
surrounded, — alone, among a band of fierce robbers, 
outlaws, and murderers ; their cold-blooded determi- 
nation to take my life without a single exciting cause 
for convicting me ; no friend to communicate with, 
and to tell the state of my mind, none, perhaps, to 
carry the tidings of my death to Ava, to the mission, 



114 Kincaid : 



and to my family — for it was very doubtful then 
whether any of the Burmans who were with me would 
ever escape — the sensations were dreadful, and I can 
scarcely bear even now to think upon them. How- 
ever, I recovered in a very few minutes from this 
state of mental despondency, and thought — what is 
this ? it is nervousness, it will never do, I must rally. 
If this is death, I must meet it with Christian firm- 
ness. I am still in the hands of my heavenly Father, 
who has oftentimes preserved me, and why need I 
fear what man can do unto me ; they can kill the 
body, but they cannot destroy the soul. I know I 
must die, and if this is the time and the manner 
which God has appointed for my departure, I do re- 
sign myself into his Almighty hands, and I trust, come 
what may, it will all be for his glory. Thus I strug- 
gled with my feelings, and reasoned with myself, un- 
til I gained the mastery, and until entire composure 
and reconciliation to my fate settled over my senses. 
I had nothing now to do but wait the time fixed upon, 
which was within two hours, for my execution. But 
man appoints, and God disappoints. I watched the 
fleeting moments as they sped by, and I could not 
keep my eyes off my executioners, who appeared 
to be engaged in an angry war of words ; they be- 
came louder and louder, and I found, by catching a 
word now and then of their conversation, that they 
were divided in opinion as to my sentence of death. 



The Hero Missionary, 115 

A faint hope stole over me that the hand of God was 
about to be extended for my preservation, and I ut- 
tered a prayer for relief. The robbers drew their 
swords, looked fierce, and seemed ready to plunge 
them into each other, so violent was their anger. 

In a little while, from some strange circumstance, 
they resolved among themselves, after having re- 
versed the decision of my death at sundown, to go to 
a village a few miles above and plunder its inhabit- 
ants. Before nightfall, to my great relief, there was 
not a single man of the bandit on the ground, and 
their prisoners were left alone unsecured. No sooner 
had they departed than I determined, feeble and ex- 
hausted as I was, to make my escape, and told my 
men that as soon as we could get something to eat, 
for there was plenty of rice left in the boats, we 
would take our boat, get it into the current of the 
river, and in the darkness of the night make our escape 
beyond the fear of detection." 



116 Kincaid 



CHAPTER XI. 

DANGER AND DELIVERANCE. 

11 Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."— Dan. vfc 16 

" Just in the last distressing hour, 
The Lord displays delivering power ; 
The mount of danger is the place, 
Where we shall see surprising grace." 

After effecting an escape, as described in the last 
chapter, nothing occurred to interrupt their security 
until just at the dawn of day, when they saw a village 
about a mile ahead, and as they approached it their 
ears were assailed with the most terrific yells, and a 
number of armed boats were seen putting off from 
the shore, to head them as they came down the 
stream. They were again in the hands of robbers. 
They soon overhauled them, and four young men well 
armed jumped into the boat, and each one seized like 
young tigers upon their prey. They got hold of Mr. 
Kincaid's stock and collar, and dragged in every 
direction so furiously that he was almost choked, and 
became so far insensible that he could not tell what 



The Hero Missionary. 117 

he was doing. In this state, and perhaps with a 
death-struggle, he threw up his arms and releaser] 
himself from their grasp. This, however, only added 
to their fury, and, seizing him again, they tore off his 
stock, his collar, jacket, shirt, pantaloons and shoes, 
leaving him without a vestige of clothing. Recov- 
ering from the shock of this brutal treatment, he 
stood on his feet before his fierce and cruel enemies. 
They then commenced tying his arms after the man- 
ner of Burmese criminals. Mr. Kincaid was deter- 
mined, however, to resist this treatment, and told 
them that they should not tie him, that he never had 
been tied, and that he should resist being tied until 
death. With this they set up a loud laugh and 
grinned awfully at him, but did not persist in tying 
him. When they reached the shore, they dragged 
him along some yards from the place of landing, and 
there made a ring in the sand around where he stood, 
and told him for his life's sake not to step beyond it. 
A guard of armed robbers, numbering from fifteen to 
twenty, surrounded this ring, and thus left him 
scarcely any chance for escape. 

One of his Burmans, who saw and felt for his ex- 
posed condition, took off his waist cloth, tore it in 
two, and handed him the one half, which he secured 
around his waist, and in this dreadfully exposed con- 
dition, without an article of food or drink except what 
he begged from the women of the village, as they 



118 Kincaid: 



passed and repassed down to the river for water, did 
he remain six days and six nights, without any shel- 
ter from the scorching heat of the midday sun, or the 
cold damp air of the night. But besides this he did 
not know what would be his fate from day to day, 
or from hour to hour, and he was continually harassed 
by impertinent questions and the cowardly threats 
of his cruel tormentors, who left no means unem- 
ployed to make his situation as miserable as possible. 
During the time that he remained a prisoner here, 
all his four boatmen and three of his boys made their 
escape in the night. The fourth and last one, Tha- 
oung by name, came to him on the third day, and ob- 
serving him casting his longing eyes in the direction 
of Ava, Mr. Kincaid knew that he wished to inform 
him of his intention to run away. He would walk all 
around him at a distance, and then would come near, 
appearing as if he wished an opportunity to speak to 
him, and yet it seemed as if he could not bear the 
idea of going away and leaving his teacher to die by 
the hands of the robbers. At last, making his way 
to him, he sat down by his side and wept like a child, 
telling him that he intended to make his escape that 
night, that the others had run away, and it was the 
only chance he had to regain his liberty. Mr. Kin- 
caid told him to go, and that if he ever reached Ava 
and the mission station, to give all the information 
he could about him. He gave him also good council, 



The Hero Missionary. 119 

told him never to forsake his profession, to be a good 
boy, and then they might hope to meet again. It al- 
most broke his heart when he was leaving, and, after 
going a short distance he stopped, and returning, 
said — " Teacher , I will never leave you, but will stay by 
you until I die." This resolution Mr. Kincaid en- 
deavored to dissuade him from keeping, but it was 
of no avail, his mind was made up to remain as a pris- 
oner. On the very next day, however, this faithful 
boy was selected from among the prisoners to go into 
the interior, as the servant to one of the petty chiefs 
and a number of the gang. Nothing more was heard 
of him until two or three months afterwards, when 
he returned to Ava. Mr. Kincaid now thought seri- 
ously of making his escape, but not without counting 
the cost of the hazard. He knew that he was about 
two hundred miles from Ava — that he should be 
obliged to avoid the river and the villages lying along 
its margin, as the whole country was in a state of an- 
archy and confusion — that the whole way down, 
indeed all the region around, was infested with 
hordes of banditti, and that he should be obliged to 
take to the mountains and the mountain passes, 
through an unbroken country, which had perhaps sel- 
dom, if ever, been trodden by a human being. Hour 
after hour he watched the mountains in the distance, 
to see if he could possibly discover any path or any 
hope of relief. But while dreading the perils to be 



120 Kincaid : 



encountered, he thought if death had any preference, 
it was in the effort to escape, rather than by remain- 
ing to die by the hands of his cruel captors. After 
much reflection, therefore, his mind was made up to 
leave, and he set about making some preparation for 
the journey. Being altogether destitute of clothing, 
and beginning to feel sadly the effects of this constant 
exposure, he endeavored to single out that man of all 
his guard whose countenance displayed the greatest 
amount of benevolence, determining to make advances, 
and, if possible, obtain his favor. Having select- 
ed his man, he spoke to him and reasoned* with him 
about his exposure, telling him how unaccustomed he 
was to go without clothing, and to sleep without a 
covering at night. In this way he soon won upon 
him, so that he went and brought him an old piece 
of sail-cloth, and afterwards the pantaloons of which 
they had stripped him when first taken a prisoner. 
Mr. Kincaid was now made up, and, fearing lest his 
Vequent importunities would awaken suspicion, he 
ieemed it best not to ask for any thing more, and re- 
solved to start on his perilous journey the first con- 
venient moment that offered for making an escape. 

During the six days that Mr. Kincaid was detained 
among these robbers, parties were sent off every day 
to plunder travelers and to rob in the neighboring 
towns, and often, in the night, the sky would be light- 
ed up from the flames of burning villages. These 



The Hero Missionary. 121 

parties, after robbing and burning the bouses and 
barns, would drive into their haunt large flocks of 
cattle, and roast them, and feast, and drink, and smoke 
the whole day. 

He was not imprisoned more than twelve feet from 
where the robber chieftain sat, and from morning un- 
til night parties of the bandit were bringing in wo- 
men and children, and the chief would examine them 
in order to learn where their valuables were buried 
— it being the custom of these people to hide their 
gold and jewels in jars in the earth, for fear of fire 
and thieves. If these women refused to tell where 
their valuables were buried, they were shamefully 
treated and cruelly beaten. They would strip them, 
throw them on the ground, tie their hands and feet 
together, and then, with large rattans, a robber would 
scourge these females in a most unmerciful manner. 
Sometimes, even if they would yield from their intense 
suffering, and tell where their gold was hid, they 
would go on beating them because the robbers would 
say that was not all. Many of these women, though 
their sufferings were dreadful, bore the scourging 
with astonishing fortitude. The robbers did not wish 
to put them to death, but to inflict torture ; and after 
whipping them until their backs were torn and lacera- 
ted, they would take their spears and pierce holes in 
their bodies half an inch in depth, and after 
making thirty or forty of these stabs, they would 



1 2? Kinoaid : 



take pieces of split bamboo, and dip one end in melt- 
ed sulphur and stick the other end into the punctures 
they had made in the bodies of these poor captive 
women, and then light them as tapers, and this they 
seemed to take great delight in doing. During these 
horrid cruelties, Mr. Kincaid was obliged to sit and 
witness them. He would close his eyes, but he could 
not shut his ears to their lamentations, and the cries 
of their children, who had to look on and behold these 
monsters beating and abusing their mothers. 

On the sixth day he witnessed a scene of cruelty 
far surpassing all the others. It was a case of scourg- 
ing of a female who had with her seven children. 
She was taller than most Burmese women, — of slen- 
der frame, and had a fine, intellectual countenance. 
With a dignified nobleness she stood before her cap- 
tors, and with an expression of defiance refused to 
answer their questions. He could not help looking 
upon her and her seven children clinging around her, 
but with intense interest. She was then beaten by 
a robber — a thick, muscular man, who could strike 
with great power. The chieftain would cry out — 
" Strike quick," and then he would lay it on with ven- 
geance. Her hair falling down over her back, which 
was bare, was clotted with blood and her face was cut 
unmercifully. Every blow, Mr. Kincaid expected, 
would be the last. Finally her head fell on her 
shoulder, her eyes were fixed, her lips pale, and she 



The He,')? Missionary, 123 



rolled over on the ground. Death had at last released 
her. Her eldest child, a beautiful girl, who held the 
infant in her arms, and her five brothers and sisters 
wept bitterly, when they found their mother was 
dead. This girl laid the babe at her feet, and fell 
down upon the body of her mother, uttering the most 
piteous and piercing cries of anguish — repeating again 
and again, " Mother, don't die and leave us." 

Looking around p on these fiends in human shape, 
Mr. Kincaid waited to see if there was one who would 
speak a kind word to these orphan children, but 
among them all there was no one to pity. Indeed, 
one of them violently kicked the poor child, to get 
out of the way, and she fell over speechless, on the 
ground. This was too much, he could bear such 
brutality no longer — the feelings of his nature were 
aroused ; he was overcome with revenge ; he was 
conscious of but a single maddening sensation, and 
that was to get the life of the monster. But, rising 
to his feet, and finding himself tied, in a sort of des- 
pair, he called him by every epithet that human lan- 
guage could invent, wholly indifferent as to what 
might be his fate. To tantalize him the whole band 
burst out into a loud laugh. His mind was now made 
up to escape that night. The remainder of the day he 
kept a close watch on his guard and on the mountains. 

The night drew on, and as usual the guard took it 
in turn to sleep. But there was no rest for him. He 



124 Kincaid : 



was between hope and fear as to the success of his 
escape, knowing well that if detected his life would 
be the forfeit. It was long after midnight before he 
ventured to stir, and when he did so, it was with the 
utmost caution. He listened — they were all quiet. 
He rose on his hands and feet — he crept slowly and 
softly to where they lay. Nothing caused him to 
startle but the heavy snoring of one of the guards. 
He moved carefully around him, scarcely breathing. 
Now he was outside the guard, and quickening his 
pace, he hurried on, and on, until he was beyond the 
precincts of the village. Soon he reached the skirts 
of the forest. He entered the jungle — and now 
breathing more freely, he felt that he had escaped, 
and that, before morning, he should be far beyond 
their reach. A heavy fog arising in the night facili- 
tated his escape ; and about the dawn of day he 
reached the mountains. By this time he was much 
exhausted ; what with anxiety, and loss of sleep, and 
hunger, and exposure, and the fatigue of traveling, 
he felt it impossible to take another step, and after 
returning thanks to God for his great deliverance, 
and asking his protection on his journey and while he 
rested, he threw himself on the earth, and soon fell 
into a sweet sleep. When he awoke, to his surprise, 
the sun was near meridian ; and starting up, he hur- 
ried on as fast as possible, through a dense and tan- 
gled forest, which had never before, perhaps, been 



The Hero Missionary. 125 

trod by the foot-steps of man. That day he traveled 
without water, but about sundown he espied a little 
ravine, and traced it, until at last he came to a mud- 
dled spring of water, the top of which was covered 
with a dark red-colored scum ; but being thirsty and 
exhausted, it was not a time to be particular, and 
after partaking of the remaining stock of rice, he 
laid down on his face, pushed away the scum with his 
hand, and putting his mouth into the water, drank, 
until his burning and raging thirst was entirely 
quenched. Without rising, he rolled over, fell into 
a deep sleep, and never awoke until the sun was up. 
Stiff in all his limbs, and with feet blistered and 
bleeding, he urged himself to move on again, but it 
was a painful task ; for an hour or two he was obliged 
to move slowly and with great care. More than once 
he felt as if nature would sink, and that he must give 
up, and lay down and die in the deep recesses of the 
forest, far away from friends, alone, unbefriended, 
and beyond the reach of man. The idea of so awful 
a death preyed upon him, and he was driven to make 
another effort — a deep struggle took place between 
his two natures, and forcing himself to a desperate 
resolve, he seemed to be clothed with new strength, 
and was nerved to go forward. Toward the latter 
part of the afternoon, having descended a mountain 
pass, he came into the plain, and saw, at a distance, 
the hamlet of a Burmese peasant. He was not long 



126 Kincaid 



in reaching the cottage, and making his situation 
known by telling his tale of sorrow. The old man 
invited him into the honse, and his wife sat before 
him a large dish of cold boiled rice. After this wel- 
come meal, he laid down on a mat and slept. In the 
morning he again resumed his jouraey — traveling 
nearly all day before he came within sight of any 
village. At last he reached a spring, and after drink- 
ing he laid down, waiting with much anxiety for the 
women of the village to come and fill their jars. He 
had not laid long until he saw a woman coming with 
her jar for water, and as she approached, he spoke to 
her kindly and bade her not to be afraid, telling her 
that he had been taken by robbers, and had made his 
escape, and all he wanted was a mouthful of rice. — 
She told him to remain where he was, that there were 
many robbers around the country, and should he 
enter the village, suspicion would be created. Fill- 
ing her jar, she returned, and in a short time came 
back with a meal of cold boiled rice. After giving 
thanks, he partook of his solitary meal, and again laid 
down and slept undisturbed until morning. On re- 
suming his journey, it was several hours before he 
could walk with any degree of satisfaction, owing to 
his stiffness and the soreness of his feet. Nothing 
particular occurred on that day's journey, until about 
the close of the day, when, as he reached the brow 
of a hill, he came suddenly on a banditti, who were 



The Hero Missionary. 127 

taking their evening meal. They were horrid look- 
ing men, and he was much alarmed at the unexpect- 
ed sight. But, preserving his presence of mind, he 
determined to walk on as if wholly indifferent to the 
surrounding scene. As he neared them, and when 
abreast of them, one and another stretched out their 
necks and looked at him with a fiendish grin, but no 
one seemed willing to leave his meal to approach 
him. Thus he passed on, not venturing to look back 
lest he might attract their further notice and suspi- 
cion ; and, when out of sight, he fell on his knees, 
and returned thanks for another merciful deliverance. 
He pursued his course, after another night's rest, 
through a country only partially settled with Bur- 
mans, and would here and there meet with a cleared 
patch of ground, tilled by some poor natives, who 
would hide themselves as he passed, as though they 
were afraid of the very sight of man. He had until 
now been pursuing his journey eastward toward the 
Shan country, and, having been five days on his 
journey, he took a circuitous route and struck for the 
Irrawaddy, coming out just at nightfall near a little 
village about thirty-five or forty miles above Ava. 
He did not dare to approach the village, but avoiding 
it, he soon found a path that led to a point in the 
river where the females came for water, and as he 
knew they would soon come down with their jars, 
and remembered that he had never been refused food 



128 Kincaid 



from the hand of a Burmese woman, he laid himself 
down in the sand, exhausted with fatigue, and press- 
ed with hunger, near by where they would have to 
pass. He had not been long in this situation, when 
he saw approaching two females, from whom he ob- 
tained a large pan of boiled rice. After making a 
rich meal on this, he laid down, once more, and slept, 
unmolested, until the break of day. Upon awaken- 
ing he immediately started on his way, and had not 
gone far, when he met with a man whose face he had 
seen before in some of his excursions along the river, 
and, with the promise of an exorbitant price, he was 
induced to carry him in his boat to Ava. 

The four native brethren who had been taken 
prisoners with him, but who had contrived to escape, 
returned some weeks afterwards. They reported 
that they had suffered much for want of food, and, 
when driven by want into a village, they had been 
captured by another horde of banditti, and even after 
escaping from these had passed through many priva- 
tions and dangers. They had mourned for Mr. Kincaid 
as dead, and no language could express the joy and 
astonishment they felt at again meeting him. 



The Hero Missionary, 129 



CHAPTER XII. 

LABORS IN TENASSERIM. 

11 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, 
and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place." 

2 Cor. ii. 14. 

" In the deserts let me labor ; 
On the mountains let me tell 
How he died — the blessed Saviour — 
To redeem a world from hell." 

After passing through, the fearful perils narrated 
in the two preceding chapters, Mr. Kincaid reached 
Ava on the 11th of March, and found the city filled 
with the most distressing alarms. Prince Thur-ra-wa- 
di had risen against his brother, the king, and, after a 
terrible struggle, he succeeded in dethroning him. 
The whole country now presented a scene of desola- 
tion and misery truly heart-rending. The whole 
length and breadth of the empire was laid waste. 
Half of the population had been robbed, and war was 
raging in all the distant provinces. The capital and 
neighboring cities, moreover, had by this time been 

invested with his armies, and such was the danger 

6* 



130 Kincaid 



which threatened the mission families, that it was 
deemed prudent to accept the invitation of Colonel 
Burney, the British Kesident, and take np their tem- 
porary abode under his roof; here they remained for 
the space of six days. 

During the continuance of the civil war, and after 
the new king ascended the throne, sanguine hopes 
had been cherished that the prospects of the mission 
would become more than ever encouraging. The 
character of the Prince seemed to warrant such ex- 
pectations. He had always sought for intercourse 
with foreigners, and had been remarkable for the lib- 
erality of his opinions. He had expressed, also, his 
disapprobation of the exclusive, jealous policy of the 
Government, and, whenever it came in his way, had 
spoken disapprovingly of its harassing and vexatious 
course toward Mr. Kincaid. 

But, alas ! with all these grounds of hope, they 
were doomed to a sad and sudden disappointment. 
About the middle of May intimations were given that 
the king had expressed himself averse to the Ameri- 
can teachers, and that he should order a discontinu- 
ance of their labors. Hearing this, Mr. Kincaid 
sought, at once, an interview with the king. His 
majesty received him with evident marks of kindness, 
and gave him to understand that he was not person- 
ally unfriendly to him. " But," said he, " I am now 
king of Burmah, and am, therefore, tha tlia na da ya 



The Hero Missionary. 131 

ka, (defender of the faith) and must support the reli- 
gion of the country. You must give no more of 
Christ's books." This he said before the whole as- 
sembled court, and added many expressions signify- 
ing that the royal will must not be trifled with. 

Under these embarrassing circumstances, and ap- 
prehending war in consequence of difficulties between 
the English and the new Burman authorities, it was 
determined best to leave the capital for a time, and 
wait patiently until things should become more set- 
tled and quiet. 

Leaving Ava on the 17th of June, they reached 
Rangoon on the 6th of July. Upon their arrival 
there, it was found that the missionaries of that sta- 
tion had already gone to Maulmain, in consequence 
of the threatening aspect of the revolution, and the 
decrees which had been issued by the viceroy of the 
province. 

Early in the following month, Mr. Kincaid pro- 
ceeded to Maulmain, and thence to Tavoy, with the 
intention of laboring in the Tenasserim province, until 
the state of the country should warrant his return to 
Ava. From Tavoy he hastened to the city of Mergui, 
the place which he had selected as an inviting field 
for temporary labor. While making this his home, 
however, the greater proportion of his time was em- 
ployed in visiting and preaching at points of interest 
in the surrounding country, and, wherever he went, 



132 Kincaid : 



a blessing seemed to attend his efforts. In one vil- 
lage, for instance, twenty-five miles distant, lie found 
the people eager to listen to the word of life, and 
during his sojourning among them, a congregation, 
numbering from sixty to one hundred souls, would 
usually gather and join with interest in the exercise 
of worship. At every successive visit made to this 
place, he was permitted to see the fruit of his labors, 
and, in a short time, he had the unspeakable privilege 
of breaking bread to a church numbering thirty-six 
rejoicing converts. Among other excursions, he 
made a visit among the islands some thirty miles 
from the Tenasserim coast, and about one hundred 
and fifty miles south of Mergui. Here he found a 
people in the most abject poverty and degradation. 
The account he has given of his brief sojourn among 
them cannot be read but with feelings of the deepest 
interest and pity. 

" The islands," says he, " are all densely wooded, 
and of all sizes and forms. Some of them are low and 
very level, others have bold rocky shores, and rise 
into mountain ridges. The climate, too, must be de- 
lightfully pleasant. One cannot help exclaiming — 
1 This is a beautiful world.' The ocean, on every side, 
spotted with a thousand green islands and islets, all 
beaming with existence — ' Man alone is vile.' Those 
modern infidels, who dream of perfection if they can 
only wipe out all systems of religion, might find a 



The Hero Missionary, 133 

splendid field here, all cultivated to their hands. I 
am now surrounded by about three hundred souls, 
men, women, and children, entirely free from all reli- 
gion. They have no God, no temple, no priest, no 
liturgy, no holy day, and no prayers. In their domes- 
tic habits they are free from all conventional rules. 
They are very poor, too, have no house, no garden, 
no cultivated field, no domestic animals but dogs. I 
never saw such abject poverty, such an entire desti- 
tution of all the comforts of life. 

I have remained on this little island five days, and 
every morning and evening, sitting on the sea-beach, 
have taught this poor, degraded people, the knowl- 
edge of God. I have resorted to every method of 
instruction, in order to reach their understanding ; 
with how much success, is known only to the Great 
Teacher, who is the true light. Of God and immor- 
tality they had never heard ; so much the more they 
appeared to be interested. Two evenings a large 
number of them remained till after 9 o'clock. Last 
evening I urged them to pray to the living God, of 
whom they had now heard, and in doing so, uttered 
several short prayers, or rather sentences, that they 
might the better understand me. Their attention 
was greatly arrested, and several immediately asked 
to be taught to pray. I taught them a short prayer, 
containing three or four sentences, and then asked 
them if they would forsake all sin and serve the great 



134 Kincaid 



God, who made heaven and earth. Some eighty or a 
hundred immediately replied, 'I will' — 'I will/ I 
told them about the Karens, their conversion to God, 
and learning to read. They urged me to come and 
live on one of their islands ; said they would all learn 
to read and become Christians." 

Not less remarkable is the narrative he has fur- 
nished of his passage over the Tenasserim Mountains. 
Starting from the village before alluded to, where his 
labors had been so signally blest, he arrived, after a 
march of six hours, at the foot of the mountains, and 
put up for the night. Here he found two families, 
living in solitude, and among them, to his great joy, 
were four persons whom he had previously baptized. 
They gave him a most cordial welcome, spread a mat 
in an open veranda, brought water for washing and 
drinking, dressed a fowl for his dinner, and did every 
thing that kindness and Christian courtesy could dic- 
tate. The next morning he ascertained that while 
only four in these two houses had been baptized, 
there were not less than sixteen who believed in 
Christ, and gave satisfactory evidence of a change of 
heart. After taking an affectionate leave of these 
families, Mr. Kincaid thus describes, in graphic lan- 
guage, their toilsome journey, with some of its inci- 
dents : 

' ' We set off in Indian file, for more than three 
hours wending our way along the bed of a mountain 



The Hero Missionary. 135 

stream, sometimes only two or three feet deep. On 
either side the mountains rose up to a great height. 
In many places the stream is filled with brush and 
fallen trees, over which we had to climb ; though this 
was not always practicable, and we were obliged to 
creep on our hands and feet for fifteen or twenty 
yards together. After leaving this stream, or rather 
getting to the head of it, we ascended the high range 
of mountains which stretch along from north to south 
between the Tenasserim and the ocean. I was 
obliged to lie down on the ground several times, 
completely exhausted, before I got to the top. The 
mountains are irregular, precipitous, and covered 
with a dense forest. We traveled about four hours 
amidst these wild ragged mountains, often having no 
other path than that made by wild elephants and 
tigers. This is their own undisputed territory, and 
if one may judge by their tracts and paths, they are 
very numerous. Monkeys too range these wild re- 
gions in countless numbers. There is one kind very 
large, and without tails. The Karens tell me they 
are bold and savage, often attacking travelers, if not 
more than two together. When surrounded by great 
numbers of these animals, urging each other forward 
to an attack, by the most deafening yells, the only 
security is in setting fires, of which they, like other 
wild animals, are afraid. For ten or twelve days past 
we have had thunder storms every evening, preceded 



136 Kincaid : 



by heat that is nearly suffocating. The thunder is so 
loud and so constant, that it is difficult making a 
person hear only a few feet distant. About 4 o'clock 
the clouds began to gather in dense black masses ; 
and, as the Karens tell me the storms are much more 
severe in these mountains than on the plains below, 
we concluded to halt for the night. Every effort was 
made to provide a shelter from the rapidly gathering 
storm. I was so weary it was impossible to render 
any assistance. We had a very comfortable shelter 
in less than an hour. Before our dinner was pre- 
pared, the storm came down, and except on one or 
two occasions, I never saw such a storm before. The 
whole atmosphere appeared to be a living mass of 
fire. There was a continued roar of thunder, mingled, 
almost every breath, with sharp, deafening peals, like 
the discharge of heavy artillery. The rain too was 
pouredout in torrents, from which our leaves afforded 
us but a partial refuge. The awful grandeur of the 
scene, however, banished all thought of inconvenience 
and discomfort. Time passed unnoted ; hours ap- 
peared to be minutes ; there was no room for levity, 
and no room for sadness. The huge masses of clouds, 
hurrying on, and rolling up and down the sides of 
lofty and ragged mountains, the blazing atmosphere, 
the incessant roll of thunder, and the torrents of rain, 
accompanied with strong gales of wind, altogether 
formed a scene most impressively sublime. 



The Hero Missionary. 137 

In the morning I found two of my people suffering 
with a burning fever. One of them, a fine young 
lad, after making two or three efforts sunk down upon 
the ground, quite unable to walk. I had slight fever 
all night, but was very well in the morning. We set 
off at an early hour, and after eight hours' march, 
reached the Tenasserim, one hundred and forty or 
one hundred and fifty miles above Mergui. Our 
journey to-day, as yesterday, has been amidst the 
wildest scenes of nature, most of the way without the 
least evidence that any human being had been there 
before us. I suppose one-half the distance we walk- 
ed in the channel of a stream, having, some part of 
the way, a most welcome sandy bottom, with only a 
few inches of water ; then again, rocky and precipi- 
tous, with occasional deep basins, taking us nearly to 
the chin in water. Tracks of the rhinoceros, ele- 
phant, tiger, deer, wild hog and monkey, are every- 
where seen. Their hard-beaten and frequent paths 
give one a fearful idea of their number. There is 
here no spot of barren earth. Vegetation is every 
where seen, in all its wildest luxuriance. We are 
all quite happy to get over the mountains to this 
pleasant little village. Our reception has been so 
cordial that we quite forget the hardships of the past 
three days. 

This village, or rather hamlet, stands on the west 
side of the river, on high level ground, with an ex- 



138 Kincaid 



tremely fertile soil. The river is about three hun- 
dred yards wide. The chief has visited me two or 
three times in Mergui, and for a month past has been 
expecting my arrival. Some time since he built a 
zayat, in which himself and neighbors meet on the 
Sabbath and worship the Christian's God. There 
are five houses, having thirty-two or thirty-three 
souls. But two or three miles distant, are other ham- 
lets, sitting in the shades of death, and either enemies 
or ignorant of God. At early candle-lighting all 
came to hear the gospel. I preached from l And as 
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even 
so must the Son of man be lifted up.' 

The next day was the Sabbath, and having met early 
to spend a little time in prayer and singing, messen- 
gers were afterwards sent off to inform two or three 
distant hamlets of my arrival, and try to bring them 
out to hear the blessed gospel. After breakfast spent 
some time in examining candidates for baptism. 
Preached at half past ten, and then resumed the ex- 
amination. Four were received and baptized in the 
Tenasserim, about four o'clock. * * * 

After commending this little church to the care of 
God and to the word of his grace, and promising, if 
possible, to send them a school teacher, and also to 
visit them again myself, I turned away most reluc- 
tantly from this bethel. During the day visited two 
hamlets, with, I believe, nine or ten houses, and 



The Hero Missionary. 139 

preached Christ to the people. Put up for the night 
on a sand-bank, as the men dare not fasten to the 
shore on account of tigers. The day before yester- 
day, a poor Karen near us, was seized and carried off, 
though seven or eight men were with him and made 
every effort to save him. The whole country is wild 
and mountainous, covered with forest trees of great 
size. 

Yesterday saw about thirty Karen houses, and in 
two places spent some time in preaching the gospel. 
To-day found about as many more widely scattered 
houses on the bank of the river, and in one place 
found a pleasant little zayat, built for the service. 
Here are two persons baptized by Br. Mason, and 
four or five more who keep the Sabbath and pray. I 
read and explained the scriptures for some time. 
Three of them can read a very little, and I supplied 
them with the gospels of Matthew and John, and 
with hymn-books. They besought me earnestly to 
come and spend a week with them, so that many 
more might hear the way of life. God is surely 
among this people. They are the ' good ground' 
spoken of by the Saviour, while the Burmans are the 
1 way-side. 

Several miles from this zayat, lives the greatest 
Karen chief in this province. I visited him. He 
has a very large house, and, for a Karen, is wealthy. 
He soon learned who I was, and affected great indif- 



140 Kincaid : 



ference to my message ; put on haughty airs ; said 
that Christ's religion was turning the heads of his 
people, and hinted that he was not so insane as to 
forsake the old paths trodden for ages by his fathers. 
He spoke Burman fluently and correctly, which is not 
small attainment for a Karen, as they can never pro- 
nounce a word that ends with a consonant. I heard 
him patiently, and commended the principle of adopt- 
ing new sentiments with extreme caution, and never 
without clear evidence of their truth, and then add- 
ed, ' Your fathers were more enlightened than mine, 
for they knew the name Jehovah, and in every age 
rejected idolatry. I preach to you now the Jehovah 
of your fathers, and offer you instruction from the 
book He has given. 7 Without allowing him to reply, 
I read from several places in the New Testament, and 
1 appealed to his own apprehension of truth, if these 
things did not commend themselves to his conscience. ' 
His airs were gone ; with altered tones of voice, he 
acknowledged that he often thought the religion of 
Christ was true. He said, that some months since, 
he had a child very ill, and made offerings to the nats, 
but his child died. He made a solemn promise then, 
that he would never make such offerings again ; but 
said he had tried to give up drinking spirits and 
could not, and so could not be a disciple of Christ. 
I urged on him the importance of believing in Christ, 
as the only way to obtain eternal life. He followed 



The Hero Missionary^ 141 

me down to the waters, with many invitations to 
come again." 

In the autumn of 1838, Mr. Kincaid began to feel 
very desirous of returning to his labors at Ava, and 
having succeeded in supplying his place at Mergui, 
he hastened to Maulmain, with the hope of finding it 
practicable to proceed at once to the Royal city. — 
" I long," said he, " to be there. My whole heart is 
there, and if I had consulted my own judgment ex- 
clusively,! should have been there some months ago." 

As it did not appear judicious, however, for him 
to return, he sent up two of the disciples — Moung 
na Gau and Moung Tha Oung, to visit the church at 
Ava. Shortly after this, Mr. Kincaid received the 
subjoined letter from one of the converts who had 
remained at the capital ; and though the intelligence 
it brought was in most respects exceedingly cheer- 
ing, still it awakened no little sorrow from the fact 
that it revealed a state of things which compelled a 
Longer absence from his chosen field. 

" My Beloved Teacher Kincaid — After reaching 
Ava, and finding my parents, I lost no time till I had 
found out the residence of all the disciples. Some of 
them have removed to Amarapura, and they are so 
scattered that they do not meet oftener than once in 
a month, some once in two months. Soon after get- 
ting to Ava I wrote a letter, and on desiring to take 
it to the English resident's, the Bur man officers for- 



142 Kincaid : 



bade me, saying, c there was no permission to go or 
send a letter. Besides this, a priest went merely to 
see the English, and was seized and taken away to 
execution, so that I did not dare to send you a letter. 
Now, feeling a great desire to write you, I have gone 
secretly to a foreign merchant, and he will send the 
letter — after this I hope to be able to send you letters 
often. Not long after getting to Ava, Ma-ee,* the 
daughter of Ko Shwa-nee, died. After this, Moung 
Moungf died of a fever, and was ill only three days. 
The disciples here are like sheep without a shepherd, 
and are anxiously looking for the time when the 
teachers can come. I wish much to return to you, 
teacher, but my father and mother are old and very 
infirm, and cannot get about well, so that I must re- 
main and support them by my labor. When the dis- 
ciples meet, they consult together about fleeing from 
this city to Maulmain, but as yet dare not make the 
attempt. The disciples remain strong in the faith 
of Christ, and pray to God continually. The writer, 
Ko Shwa-nee, is perseveringly preaching the gospel. 
Men-dong-gee and Moung You come to Ko Shwa-nee's 
house every three and four days, and reason with 
him about the law of God. 

To the beloved teacher, 

From Moung Oo Doung." 

* Ma-ee was one of Mrs. Kineaid's school girls, 
f Moung Moung was a brother of great promise 



The Hero Missionary. 143 

11 1, Moung Oo Doung — How much I remember, and 
how much I love the teachers and their ladies, I can- 
not fully express. In the night season I dream about 
them, and weep much. Thus ardently loving each 
other in this world, although separated, when we re- 
move to the future world, in the heavenly kingdom, 
and meet face to face in the presence of God, all 
former anxiety will be forgotten. Whether enjoying 
much prosperity in this life, or suffering much adver- 
sity, let not the mind be elated with the one, or cast 
down at the other, even as by diligent perseverance 
in divine things we have hope of eternal bliss and 
happiness. My beloved teacher, I purpose to write 
in this letter about worldly events and about the 
heavenly religion in the city of Amarapoora. Con- 
cerning the intelligence which a foreign merchant in 
this city gave you, — if you credit what he wrote, 
then you think we have gone astray.* Although he 
is of the English race, who gave you such intelli- 
gence, yet, teacher, even as your wisdom teaches you, 
reason on this subject and believe only what is wor- 
thy of belief. teacher, give great heed to this 
business. * * * Since the arrival of Moung Na 
Gau and Moung Tha Oung, and having heard from 
the teachers, I think much about returning with them. 

* This has reference to an infidel foreigner, who wrote that the Christians 
had all turned hack to their former religion, when, in fact, he was person- 
ally acquainted with hut one of them, and knew nothing of their situation. 



144 The Hero Missionary . 

Although I am a young man, and have no wife, yet 
up to this time it has been more difficult for me to 
go to you, than for a married man. My father and 
mother have great age and cannot labor. It is very 
hard for me to leave my brother, Moung Too, alone, 
as he is not able to support them. When I reflect 
on our present situation, I have no desire for earthly 
happiness ; neither do I desire afflictions ; but if it 
was the will of God, I should be willing to leave this 
world. We have hope that this time of great distress 
and fear will not continue much longer. Our hope 
is in God." 

After perusing this letter, Mr. Kincaid was led at 
once to direct his attention to another field of labor ; 
and having carefully surveyed the ground, and find- 
ing it impossible to enjoy the facilities necessary to 
successful missionary work at either Maulmain or 
Rangoon, he at length decided to turn his face to- 
ward Arracan. 

The remarkable and cheering results which there 
followed his devoted efforts, I shall attempt briefly 
to sketch in the succeeding chapter. 



The Hero Missionary. 145 



CHAPTER XIII. 

A GREAT WORK IN ARRACAN. 

u He shall oome down like rain upon the mown grass ; as showers that water 
the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him." 

Ps. lxxii. 6, 9. 
" Rich dews of grace come o'er us, 

In many a gentle shower, 

And brighter scenes before ua 

Are opening every hour." 

Writing from Maulmain, under date of January 
20th, 1840, Mr. Kincaid gives the reasons which in- 
fluenced him in deciding to go to Arracan. Prominent 
among these was that nothing worthy of being called 
missionary work could be accomplished. " Like the 
merchants," said he, " we could sit in our houses, and 
if this were all that was necessary, we could keep the 
ground. There is no difficulty about living in Bur- 
mah, but we could not teach the people, for the peo- 
ple dare not come near us." "While this state of 
things existed, and there were other large fields open 
to our efforts, it seemed not the part of wisdom to 

remain in Burmah. The command is plain, " If they 

1 



146 . Kincaid: 



persecute you in one city, flee to another." These 
very circumstances, however, God was pleased to 
overrule for his own glory. 

Paul, at one time, was forbid of the Spirit to preach 
the word in Asia, nor was he suffered to go into 
Bithynia, because, in the divine arrangement, he 
must first preach the gospel to a people made ready 
in Macedonia. 

Judging from results, we might infer a similar pur- 
pose in the providences which compelled Mr. Kincaid 
to retire from Burmah, and led him to seek a tempo- 
rary location in Arracan. 

Fixing his residence at the city of Akyab, we find 
Mr. Kincaid, as in other instances, zealously prosecu- 
ting his work at all the points to which from this cen- 
tre he could possibly gain access. And in these scat- 
tered fields he was soon permitted to witness some 
of the most wonderful displays of God's grace. 

In a letter dated May 4th, 1840, he writes of his 
plans and prospects as follows : 

" I preach three times on the Sabbath in my own 
house, and four times during the week in three differ- 
ent places in the town. My assemblies vary from 
twenty-two to twenty-three to more than one hundred 
hearers. Few come to the house, though every day 
from five or six to twenty. The heat is very great j 
the thermometer rarely falling below 90°, and much 
of the time during the day it is up to 95° and 97°, in 



The Hero Missionary, 147 



the coolest part of the house. My two native assis- 
tants are every thing I can wish. They labor hard, 
and really try to win sonls to Christ. 

We have three hopeful inquirers. One is Moung 
Loon, a man about forty-five years old. He came in 
from the country after medical aid, and the first time 
he heard the gospel, it made a deep impression on his 
mind. Every day he comes and listens, and appears 
to have correct views of God and the way of life 
through Christ. I have no evidence, however, that 
he has yet felt the renovating power of the Holy 
Spirit, but his mind is rapidly passing from the delu- 
sions of heathenism to the clear light of the gospel. 
Another inquirer, is Moung Yau That, a young man 
seventeen or eighteen years old — his father and 
mother were baptized more than twenty years ago 
near Chittagong, and are the only consistent Chris- 
tians in this little church. He appears to be truly 
awakened to a sense of his lost condition as a sinner. 
Ma Pong, a young woman, nineteen years old, is the 
wife of Moung Xa Gau, — she listens with eagerness 
to the gospel, and gives us encouragement to hope 
that she is not far from the kingdom of heaven. 
There are three or four other persons who manifest 
more than usual interest in listening to the instruc 
tions of the word of God, but as yet they appear stu- 
pidly indifferent about the state of their own souls. 

Between my own labors and those of the two assis- 



1 4:3 Kincaid : 



tants, from one to two hundred persons hear the gos- 
pel daily. Many dispute with an ingenuity and 
earnestness which might well put to shame idle ynd 
ease-loving ministers of Christ. It is often truly 
affecting to see the deep workings of the Spirit, and 
the anxiety, in mustering arguments to sustain that 
religion which they and their fathers have revered, 
and around which have centered all their fondest re- 
collections and their most cherished hopes. All false 
religions will walk together in fellowship, but the 
uncompromising claims of the gospel, when they do 
not compel respect and attention, awaken the most 
bitter opposition. The heathen are accustomed to 
respect all religions, because, like civil institutions* 
they regard them as adapted to the various circum- 
stances and wants of different nations. They are 
often pleased, therefore, with the gospel, at first, but 
when they come to understand its fearful denuncia- 
tions against idolatry and all unrighteousness of men 
— that it pronounces the whole world in a state of 
apostacy from God — that all men without faith in 
Christ are without God, and have no hope, and in the 
end must everlastingly perish, — when they under- 
stand these things, and that the gospel is the only 
system of truth and the only refuge for the whole 
race of man, they either become patient hearers, or 
bitter opposers, or, as is sometimes the case, they 
lane refuge in infidelitv " 



The Hero Missionary, 149 

Among a number of inquirers who frequently called 
upon him, was one who awakened unusual inter* 
owing to his peculiar sentiments and high position in 
society. He was called M ; ha-don, a title given him 
by the king of Ava, and may be regarded as furnish- 
ing rather a striking case of heathen transcendental- 
ism : — 

" He called on me," says Mr. Kincaid, " because I 
had lived in Ava, and from that time onward he ap- 
pears to have felt a deep conviction that Budhism has 
more falsehood than truth. He has continued his 
visits and attended public worship. For many years 
past he has regarded outward Budhism — that is, pros- 
trations and prayers and offerings before pagodas and 
idols — as adapted only to the ignorant, unthinking 
multitude ; and like many others of a contemplative 
turn of mind, had taken refuge in Pantheism, or the 
abstract, mystical doctrines of Budhism. All objects 
recognized by the senses are to be regarded as illu- 
sions, alike degrading to the mind and destructive of 
happiness ; and therefore, every thing which is plea- 
ing, harmonious, and beautiful, is to be avoided, and 
the outward senses to be blunted and crushed, to the 
very utmost. The highest possible virtue, and so the 
most perfect happiness, is indifference. Praise and 
blame are alike ; nothing pleases, nothing offends ; 
nothing gratifies, nothing disgusts. You are neither 
to like nor dislike ; the mind is to be in a state of 



150 Kincaid 



perfect equilibrium. Theix all idea of one's self, or 
individual identity, is lost or absorbed in the divine 
essence, as a drop of water loses its form and indi- 
vidual character vvhen cast into the ocean. Connec- 
tion with matter, or material substance, therefore, is 
the cause of evil, and the gratification of the senses, 
is to commit sin. Neither the eye, nor ear, nor taste, 
nor feeling, should be gratified. Even conjugal, pa- 
rental, and filial affection are only so many forms of 
selfishness. To own any thing which affords . plea- 
sure, or to which any relative value can be attached, 
is only to gratify self, or the individual being. While 
the highest efforts of virtue consist in rooting out all 
idea of self, or individual existence, and so bringing 
back the soul to an eternal, though unconscious re- 
pose." 

One day, on the occasion of a baptism, this learned 
and venerable man was at the water, and united with 
them in singing two hymns, and afterwards paid the 
utmost attention to all that was said and done. 
When the converts came out of the water, in answer 
to a question which some one put to him, he replied 
in an earnest and elevated tone of voice, " This is the 
true religion, and I must be baptized and be a disci- 
ple of Christ." His constant attendance at worship 
created a great sensation all over the city. The 
priests had a meeting to inquire into the cause of his 
extraordinary conduct, and to them, in the most frank 






The Hero Missionary. 151 

and open manner, lie said — " I have found the true 
religion after worshiping idols and pagodas for more 
than ninety years." 

Another case of peculiar interest was that of Moung 
Loon, a young man of great promise. The day fol- 
lowing his baptism he came very early in the morn- 
ing, saying that he had not slept during the entire 
night, and such a deep sense had he of the love of 
Christ in bearing in his own body the sins of men, 
that he could only pray and weep for joy. 

About this time Mr. Kincaid was greatly encour- 
aged by the intelligence which reached him of the 
wonderful triumphs of the gospel among the Karens of 
Bassein province. This great rejoicing had its begin- 
ning in the latter part of 1837, and its influence con- 
tinued to spread from village to village until converts 
were counted by thousands : 

" All the men," writes Mr. Kincaid in his journal, 
" who have come over the hills, represent the work 
as still going on ; spreading from village to village, 
in §very direction. Moung Shway Moung, who was 
baptized the latter part of 1835, was appointed by 
the king, governor of all the Karens in the Bassein 
province. He was sent down from Ava the latter 
part of 1837 — the Karens soon found he was a disci- 
ple of Christ, and that he would shield them to the 
utmost of his power from oppression and persecution. 
The Karens testify that ' he was a just man, and 



152 Kincaid : 



would never take bribes/ — ' that on the Sabbath he 
closed up his house, and remained alone.' About 
this time, the conversion of the celebrated young 
chief took place. He is a young man of great energy 
and powerful intellect, and all his influence was thrown 
into the work of publishing the knowledge of God 
among his countrymen. The full extent of this revi- 
val we do not know, but enough has been learned to 
convince us that it is an extraordinary display of 
divine grace. Probably more than two thousand souls 
are turned from the worship of demons to the service 
of the living God. This too has taken place under 
the jealous and intolerant reign of the new king. It 
is God's glorious work." 

In the early spring of 1841, the lamented Comstock, 
with his family, made a visit to Akyab, and during a 
stay of about sixteen days joined Mr. Kincaid in an 
interesting preaching excursion. They visited a 
number of villages, and went as far as the old town 
of Arracan. Here they preached to large and solemn 
assemblies, both in private houses and in the open 
air. A few were found disposed to revile the truth, 
but the great mass would honestly acknowledge 
they were in the dark, and knew of no way to escape 
the pains and punishment of hell. " I have lived 
seventy years," said one, " and have labored to keep 
the five great commands, and have practised the aus- 
terities, but have not found peace." " The power 



The Hero Missionary. 153 

and glory of our religion," said another, " has Ions: 
been waning and must entirely vanish." Such im- 
pressions seemed to prevail at this time among the 
people. Some of the villagers who received tracts and 
heard the gospel during this excursion, soon after- 
wards came to Akyab, and were able to repeat much 
of what they had heard, saying also, that they had 
almost every evening read what had been given 
them, and having found in them wonderful words, they 
had come for more. 

In the city of Akyab, many interesting cases of 
inquiry occurred. Among these was a man of great 
wealth and influence. He had for two or three years 
been making arrangements to build a large Kyoung 
(monastery) and had already expended many hundred 
rupees, when, for the first time, he heard the gospel. 
So affected was he by the truth that he dismissed his 
workmen, and resolved to let the building alone til] 
he should examine fully the claims of the new 
religion. 

Another very intelligent man, after being a diligent 
inquirer for several months, came saying that he had 
been proud of his ability to dispute, and had confided 
in his own wisdom, instead of receiving like a little 
child the word of God. This man after being driven 
from all the strongholds of Budhism, and acknow- 
ledging there was an eternal God, rejected the doc- 
trine of substitution. Reformation, he thought, 



154 Kincaid: 



would secure the Divine favor, and especially if con. 
nected with sincere endeavors to keep the law. How 
it was possible for the suffering and death of Christ 
to satisfy the claims of justice on behalf of millions 
of the human race, he could not understand, and 
therefore the miraculous birth and deity of Christ he 
regarded as a fable, appended to the Christian, reli- 
gion. He was led to take this view of the subject by 
the Mohammedans, with whom he associated a good 
deal. His mind, however, was not at rest, — truth 
had taken too deep a hold of his conscience. One 
day Mr. Kincaid read and explained for several hours 
the first chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews. The 
next day he told Ko Bike that he had read and pray- 
ed nearly all night, and felt very unhappy, for he 
thought he was not to live long, and must certainly 
go to hell. In this state of feeling he remained for 
several days, when he came with a joyous counte- 
nance, and said he had obtained peace. " Now I 
know," he said, " what it is to believe in Christ, for I 
have the evidence in my own heart." 

It is characteristic of the Burmans frequently to 
interrupt those who are preaching, for the purpose 
of asking questions ; and an instance or two of this 
kind, as recorded in Mr. Kincaid's journal, may serve 
to give a general idea of what is sometimes witnessed 
under such circumstances : 

" By the request of a respectable man," he writes 



The Hero Missionary. 155 

" I went to preach in his house, hat the heat was suf- 
focating, and we went into the street, where mats 
were spread for the people, and a chair brought for 
me. The moon shone brilliantly, so that I could read 
the large Burman characters with ease. After preach- 
ing about thirty minutes, so many questions were 
asked, that it was quite impossible to pursue my 
subject further. Questions, however absurd, must 
be answered, and if they are not proposed too often, 
are useful in fixing the attention of the people. This 
evening I was overwhelmed. Many persons, how- 
ever, remained silent and attentive, and perhaps 
have not heard in vain. 

In the evening I preached in the same place to a 
still larger assembly, and with less interruption. 
When I closed the book, one man took up manfully 
on the side of Gaudama, and a discussion for nearly 
two hours followed. One man who had been a great 
opposer, occasionally threw in a word to confirm the 
statements I made, and as he was a man of acknow- 
ledged ability in explaining the legends of Gaudama, 
my adversary forsook the sober field of argument, 
and began to ridicule and revile this heretic, as he 
called him. ' You have become a disciple of Christ, 
have you ? You join with this foreign teacher, do 
you, to prove that our god is no god, and that our re- 
ligion, which has stood a thousand years, is only a 



156 Kincaid : 



cheat and a fable ? Who will carry you to the grave 
when you die ? Your own father and mother will 
despise you, and your brothers and sisters will shun 
you as they would a leper. You are like a dog that 
is coaxed away by a thief — you may as well lick 
honey from the edge of a razor as to listen to this 
foreigner.' ' Yery well/ replied my new ally, ' I 
have reviled this religion and this teacher more than 
you have, but I was a fool with both my eyes shut — ■ 
his religion is true, and everybody would believe it 
if they knew what it is. "We make a god of wood, 
and then put a rope round his neck, and carry him 
off to his own place, and then put a fence around 
him, and keep him there till the white ants eat him 
up. We would not serve a thief as bad as this. 
There is as much evidence to prove that Gaudama 
was a monkey, as that he was a god.' Some of the 
people with rage at this bold assertion from one of 
their own learned men, put their fingers in their ears 
and went away — but still a large number listened to 
the very last. It was eleven o'clock at night." 

But the most interesting occurrence, perhaps, that 
marked the history of Mr. Kincaid's connection with 
the Akyab Station, was the visit of Chet-za, the 
" mountain chief." His first interview with this man 
took place in the month of May, 1841. Early in July 
following, he received from him a very interesting 



The Hero Missionary. 157 

and earnest letter, in -which, after giving his own 
name and title, " Chet-za, the great mountain chief," 
he added the names of thirteen petty chiefs, who 
were his neighbors, and then went on to state that 
they and their people for ages have been without 
the knowledge of God and his law — that they have 
no books, and, therefore, can neither read nor write 
— that in ancient days, God gave their lathers a good 
book, written on leather, but being careless, a dog 
carried it away and destroyed it, and thus the divine 
displeasure appeared against them — that they are 
anxious to know the true God, and be taught the 
true book, though no one has ever appeared till now, 
" bringing the good book" " Our sons and our daugh- 
ters we shall deliver over to you to be taught, if yen 
will have compassion on us." Then followed a list 
of two hundred and seventy-three names of boys and 
girls whom they wished to place -in school, if the 
teacher would come to their mountains. 

" There is," writes Mr. Kincaid, " something sin- 
gular, as well as deeply interesting, in this request. 
From time immemorial they have had intercourse 
with Burmans, but hava resisted idolatry. They 
have looked with apathy, if not with contempt, upon 
the imposing ceremonies of Budhism — its temples 
pagodas, monasteries, idols, shaven-headed priests, 
its ten thousand burning tapers, its prostrations, its 



158 Kincaid : 



beads, its celebrated shrines, and its pilgrimages. 
Like the Karens in Tenasserim, and in Burmah, they 
appear to be looking for the ■ good book' which will 
tell them of the true God. There is an overruling 
Providence in this, and the request of the Mountain 
Chief and his friends, sounds to me like the Mace- 
donian cry, c Come over and help us.' " 



The Hero Missionary. 159 



CHATTER XTY. 

VISIT TO THE MOUNTAIN CHIEF. 

" The mountains and the hills shall creak forth before you into siDging." 

Isa. lr. 12. 

" The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks 
Shout to each other, and the mountain tops, 
From distant mountains, catch the flying joy." 

Toward the close of the year 1841, and just as Mr. 
Kincaid had perfected his arrangements for a visit to 
the mountains, Chet-za, fearing he was to be disap- 
pointed in his hopes, made another visit to Akyab, 
urging him to come at once, and teach his people the 
true religion. Accordingly, on the 29th of December, 
accompanied by the Rev. L. Stilson, he set out on 
his interesting tour. 

The graphic account given by him of the journey, 
of the population, and of their reception among that 
remarkable people, will be found replete with inter- 
est : — 

" We crossed the spacious harbor," says Mr. Kin- 
caid, " and entered the Ko-la-dan, a broad and noble 



160 Kincaid 



river which has its sources in the Yuma mountains 
far to the north. After ascending the Ko-la-dan be- 
tween seventy and eighty miles, we left all Burman 
population, and entered the Kemmee country. The 
change in the scenery is not less striking than the 
change in the character, habits, and manners of the 
people. For the last seventy miles before it empties 
its waters into the Akyab harbor, the Ko-la-dan flows 
through a vast tract of level plain, dotted with villages 
in every direction. Rice fields are extensive, — in 
many places as far as the eye can reach. Here and 
there are dark tangled forests. There are no fences, 
no hedges. Occasionally we see small patches of to- 
bacco, and a few gourds and plantains, and besides 
this there is no cultivation, although the soil is ex- 
ceedingly rich, and capable of producing every kind 
of plant and vegetable peculiar to warm latitudes. — 
The delta for twenty-five or thirty miles inland is in- 
tersected by innumerable creeks, lined with various 
kinds of mangroves, which give the country a sombre 
aspect ; and is a great laboratory of the most deadly 
fevers. When about thirty miles from the sea there 
is a slight elevation of the land, and mountains appear 
in the distance, but still there is little change in the 
aspect of the country. When we leave the plains 
we leave also the Burman, or as they are called in 
Arracan, the Mug population. First we came to low 
ranges of hills, but every ten miles we ascended, the 



The Hero Missionary. 161 

hills became larger and were clothed with dark tan- 
gled forests to the very summit. The river is still 
broad and deep — it makes a few curves, but its gen- 
eral course is exactly from north to south. As we 
were anxious to reach the village where the chief 
lives, with as little delay as possible, we visited only 
one of the numerous Kemmee villages along the river. 
It was about ten in the morning ; the boatmen were 
cooking their rice on the bank of the river — the for- 
est came down to the very water's edge, and the only 
indication of their being a village at hand, was a 
small landing-place up the steep bank. Mr. Stilson 
and I found a path, and after walking about four or 
five hundred yards, came to a village of seventeen 
houses, surrounded by a neat and well constructed 
stockade. The gate was open and we went in, but 
saw no human being. After standing a few minutes 
in order to give no unnecessary alarm, and admiring 
the peculiar structure of their great houses, — the neat 
and orderly manner in which they were placed, — 
that is, in two rows, so as to have a broad street run- 
ning through the centre, — we passed on, and finally 
went out at the gate on the opposite end of the vil- 
lage, and found ourselves standing on the bank of a 
noisy little brook — an object of great interest to us, 
as it was the first of the kind we had seen in Arracan. 
We saw abundance of pigs, goats and fowls, and be- 
gan to wonder where the inhabitants could be, as we 



162 Kincaid 



saw none and did not hear a human voice. We sus- 
pected, what in the end turned out to be true, that 
the men were in their fields at a distance, while the 
females and children, ascertaining that extraordinary 
looking strangers were at the landing, had fled in a 
panic to the jungles. We were sorry to alarm them, 
but still did not feel willing to go away till we could 
see them, and give them every assurance that we 
were friends. While examining two or three pecu- 
liar trees which grew on the margin of the brook, a 
female with a child slung on her back, rose up out of 
the grass but a few feet from us. She appeared to 
be paralyzed with fear, and the poor little urchin on 
her back was afraid to look up. We could not help 
reflecting on the wrong and outrage which have in- 
duced such a feeling of dread at the appearance of 
strangers — more terrifying than the midnight growl 
of the most ferocious beasts of prey. We stepped 
back and spoke soothingly to the poor woman, assured 
her, again and again, that she had nothing to fear ; 
and she evidently believed us, for in a little time she 
went into the village. Probably on the first alarm 
one or more had been despatched to give intelligence 
to the men, for they soon began to come in, and then 
the females came from their hiding places, each one 
with a child slung on her back, and many of them 
with three or four or half a dozen older children fol- 
lowing them. The men came and sat down around 



lie Hero Missionary. 163 



us, while the females and children remained at a dis- 
tance, or went up into their houses. Some of the 
men could' understand Burman, and speak it tolerably 
well. We soon perceived, however, that they could 
not sound the final consonant, or the t7i, to which they 
always gave the sound of s. We explained to them 
our design in coming into their country — that it was 
in obedience to the command of God, to visit all na- 
tions and instruct them in his holy word. They ap- 
peared to be much interested ; said they should be 
»'lad to have books, and understand those things of 
which we told them. After returning to our boat, 
several of the men came down and wished us to ac- 
cept of a fowl which they brought. 

The next day, in the morning, we came to the 
mouth of the river Moe, a fine stream which comes in 
from the north-east, and is from fifty to sixty yards 
broad. Up this river about six miles, we came to the 
village where the Mountain Chief resides. This 
village is situated in a large bend in the river, on a 
fine elevation, one hundred feet above the present 
level of the water, and commands a beautiful pros- 
pect in this wild and picturesque country. Three 
other villages are in sight, and the fourth is not a 
mile distant. There is apparently but little level 
ground, it being a perfect contrast to all we had seen 
for seventy miles above Akyab. Here are lofty hills 
and deep vallies, and all thrown together in the ut- 



164 Kincaid : 



most confusion. The hills as well as vallies are 
covered with tall forest trees, interspersed with 
bamboos, various kinds of creepers, and occasionally 
with a coarse grass that grows from ten to twelve 
feet high. 

From the anxiety which the chief had manifested 
to have us visit him and his people, we had every 
reason to expect a kind reception. For the last eight 
or ten months it had been his constantly expressed 
wish to have us establish schools among them, and 
teach them the knowledge of God, but still we had 
not anticipated so much attention, or rather, so much 
forethought in reference to our comfort. To our 
surprise we found a new and well constructed zayat 
about fifty feet above the present level of the river, 
sixteen feet by twenty-one, and the ground cleared 
away so as to make a pleasant walk, and a verandah 
on one side. But what surprised us most, was two 
very neat bamboo bedsteads, surrounded with cur- 
tains. The chief must have seen a bedstead in 
our house at Akyab, and so got the idea that this 
was our manner of sleeping. He returned only four 
or five days before we left, and during two of these 
days, there was a very severe storm of wind and rain, 
which made us wonder how he could possibly have 
put up such a building. On inquiring of him, he 
said the whole, from the foundation to the roof, in- 
cluding bedsteads and all, were made in two days. 



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The Her? Missionary. 167 

When he saw we had a small folding-table and two 
chairs, he felt greatly relieved, for he had felt very 
sad, he said, to think he could construct no such arti- 
cles for us. I mention these facts to shew the kind- 
heartedness of the chief and his people, and their 
anxiety to make us comfortable. Our zayat was 
about fifty yards from the stockade which surrounded 
the village, and in a delightful situation. After get- 
ting everything arranged in our new home and ready 
to begin work, we went up into the village and were 
taken directly to the house of the Mountain Chief 
(as he is called). It is certainly no mean specimen 
of a palace, for though constructed on the same gene- 
ral plan with all the houses of this peculiar people, 
yet its dimensions and neatness of construction would 
point it out as the residence of a great man. Like 
all the houses, the floor is between five and six feet 
from the ground. After passing across a very large 
open verandah, we entered, immediately in front, the 
great hall of audience. It is certainly a fine room, 
and from the north end we have a most delightful 
view of the country in all the wildness of its native 
grandeur. We spent some time in conversation, but 
most of the time in getting words and sentences ex- 
pressed in their own language. I left the company 
at length, and went to take a view of the domestic 
arrangements. On the left of the great verandah is 
a very large apartment, and on the right is one of 



168 Kincaid 



smaller dimensions ; these belong to the females and 
children. His wives — nine in number — were all 
busily at work, except one. Some were cleaning- 
cotton, some spinning, some weaving and some were 
cooking ; and each one had a child slung on her back, 
whatever the work might be in which she was en- 
gaged. All appeared to be cheerful. It was easy to 
perceive that the female who was not at work, was a 
person of no ordinary rank among this people. There 
was a gracefulness and dignity in her manners which 
could not fail to impress the most casual observer 
that she was one of " nature's noble women." Her 
countenance is intelligent, and her features would 
indicate a mild and amiable temper. Her face was 
covered with smiles, so that she appeared to be 
pleased with herself and pleased with all around her. 
She was the only one of the females who appeared to 
have any knowledge of the Burman language, and 
hers, I imagine, is very limited, for though she be- 
trayed in her countenance no signs of ignorance, 3^et 
she was able to reply to me only in a few half-formed 
sentences. We were struck with the order and neat- 
ness of the apartments. There were no articles 
lying about the floor, as is always the case in Burman 
houses, whatever may be their rank. True, there 
was no furniture for mere show, and little which we 
regard as necessary to comfort in civilized life ; still 
they have many articles for the manufacture of cloth, 



The Hero 31t»oionary. 169 

for cooking, for holding water, and for eating, and 
though they be of the most primitive kind, they all 
had their appropriate place. The internal arrange- 
ments of the apartments and the furniture, no less 
than the neat and comfortable manner in which the 
houses are constructed, as well as the orderly ar- 
rangement of the whole village, certainly struck us 
as indicating, in a more than ordinary degree, an in- 
nate sense of neatness and regularity. The posts 
which supported the roof are formed by binding to- 
gether ten or twelve bamboos, so that at first they 
might be taken for fluted columns. The roofs of the 
houses are made of long coarse grass. The walls are 
double ; the outer extending from the ground to the 
roof, and the inner from the floor to the roof. The 
outer wall is formed by placing perfectly straight 
bamboos, and all of the same size, horizontally one on 
top of the other, till they reach the top ; these are 
kept together by upright posts at suitable distances. 
This wall gives the house a very substantial and pret- 
ty appearance. The inner wall is made of split bam- 
boos woven into mats. The stairs for going up into 
their houses are of the same material, and are broad 
and well formed, while the people of Arracan have 
only a large pole, with notches cut in it. In fact, 
everything pertaining to the houses and villages of 
the Kemmees indicates an attention to comfort 

8 



170 Kihcaid ; 



which we have seen among no other class of people 
in these countries. 

Their clothing is scanty and peculiar. Besides a 
small turban on the head, the only garment ordinarily 
worn by the men is a belt about four inches wide, 
fastened round the hips and between the legs ; one 
end of the belt hanging down before, and one behind. 
The females have two garments — the upper, a short 
jacket about ten or twelve inches long, without 
sleeves and open under one arm ; the lower garment 
is fastened round the hips and reaches half way to 
the knees. It is remarkable that a people who con- 
sult neatness and comfort to so great a degree in the 
construction of their villages and houses, should have 
adopted so scanty a covering for their persons. It 
cannot be for want of material, for they grow a fine, 
beautiful species of cotton on their hills, and in ex- 
change for cotton procure salt and dried fish from the 
coast. *" * * 

For some wise purpose God has preserved them 
from idolatry, and kept alive among them the tradi- 
tion, that in ancient times the Supreme Being gave 
to their fathers a Good Book, which through their 
carelessness was destroyed by a dog, but which in 
time will be restored, when they will become a wise 
and happy people. We preached the gospel every 
evening in the most plain and simple manner, and 
they listened attentively ; but few could understand 



The Hero Missionary. 171 

Burman well enough to receive much instruction. 
Those who could understand, said they believed what 
we taught, and that all the Kemmees would believe 
when they came to hear and understand this doc- 
trine. From morning till night we spent nearly all 
our time in collecting words and sentences so as to 
learn the structure of the language, but still embraced 
every opportunity to learn the extent of their coun- 
try and the probable number of the inhabitants. All 
we could learn, however, on this last subject was, 
that for several days' journey (two hundred miles or 
more,) up the great river, and on all the tributary 
streams, the inhabitants are Kemmees. The Ko-la- 
dan, and all its tributaries, are thickly studded with 
their villages, which vary from ten to fifty families in 
each. They are certainly a numerous people, and, 
without doubt, I think, one of the greatest branches 
of the Karen family. The Khyiens inhabit all the 
hill country and the great ranges of the Yuma moun- 
tains to the south, as the Kemmees do at the north. 
After getting about eighty miles north of Ava, I 
found all the hill country for more than three hun- 
dred miles, that is, to the Hu Kong valley, inhabited 
by Ka Khyiens, a people in all respects like the Ka- 
rens ; so that we have Karens, Ka Khyiens, Khyiens 
and Kemmees, four branches of the same great family, 
formerly the sole occupants of this vast country, but 
who have been gi adually driven by the Burmans from 



172 Kincaid : 



the valley of the Irrawaddy and from the sea- coast. 
On the fourth day after our arrival at the village of 
the chief, the path of duty appeared to be plain. 
We accordingly intimated to Mm, and some of his 
people, that we should study the language, adopt an 
alphabet, and as soon as possible give them books 
in which they could learn the knowledge of God. 
As might have been expected, they were greatly 
pleased. In a short time word was brought to us 
that the chief was going into the neighboring villages 
to call together the principal men, and would imme- 
diately commence building us a large house. We 
were obliged to hold him back, or the house would 
have been begun that very day. We told him we 
must return home and make arrangements for this 
work, for it was not a small thing to study their lan- 
guage and get ready to give them books ; however, 
they might expect Mr. S tils on and his family in about 
twenty days, and that I should, probably, be up again 
in a month after that. We selected a place for build- 
ing, and told the chief he might collect the materials 
at his leisure, that on Mr. Stilson ; s arrival a house 
could be put up in a few days. He told Ko Bike that 
our decision gave him more joy than if he had received 
thousands o f gold and silver, for, said he, ' The gold 
and silver woulc soon be expended, and neither my 
children nor my people would be ?ny the better for 



The Hero Missionary. 



173 



it ; but if we have the knowledge of God, I shall die 
in peace.' 

This indicates a degree of intelligence and earnest- 
ness which we did not expect to find, and which goes 
far to encourage us that it is the Lord's work. This 
village, which we have resolved to make the head- 
quarters of the Kemmee mission, possesses all the ad- 
vantages we could desire, — its location is beautiful 
and healthy, — it is not too far in the interior, and 
still is far enough to be the centre of a number of 
villages, embracing, at least, about three thousand 
inhabitants. It is two degrees north of Akyab, and, 
therefore, distant on a straight line, one hundred and 
thirty-eight miles. There are a few curves in the 
river, so that the distance, by water, is one hundred 
and fifty miles. Mr. Stilson took the latitude of the 
village, and made it 22° 3' north, which would make 
it twelve or thirteen miles north of Ava. No for- 
eigner has ever been up the river beyond the boun- 
daries of Arracan, and Burmans are afraid to pene- 
trate ; so that the extent of the Kemmee country 
north, can only be conjectured from the statements 
of the Kemmees themselves. They speak of two 
powerful bodies of people far to the north, called 
Lurig-khe, and Tsein-du, who differ somewhat from 
them in language. I would remark here, that Kem- 
mee is the generic name of this people, though they 
have a great number >f local names. This extraor 



174 Kincaid 



dinary variety of names for one and the same people, 
originates partly from location and partly from clan- 
ship ; in some cases, the name of a stream gives a 
name to the people ; and, in other cases, the name of 
a chief to whose authority they submit. Our inter- 
course with the Kemmees has been too limited to say 
much in reference to their national manners and cus- 
toms, — their vices and their virtues. Polygamy, I 
should think, does not prevail to any great extent. 
They have learnt how to make an intoxicating drink 
from rice, which is used on extraordinary occasions. 
They regard evil spirits as the principal cause of dis- 
ease, as also of all other calamities, when they cannot 
trace them to human agency. This belief in evil de- 
mons leads them to offer, on certain occasions, propi- 
tiatory sacrifices. They have no religious services, 
though they believe in a Supreme Being, — in the im- 
mortality of the soul, and in future rewards and pun- 
ishments. Murder, adultery, stealing, and falsehood, 
are regarded as great crimes, and there is much rea- 
son to suppose that these are not their national vices. 
They are, proverbially, a people of one word. 

It is very possible that many might get the impres- 
sion, from the preceding remarks, that the Kemmees 
are a harmless, unwarlike people, but such is not" the 
case. Broken up, as they are, into clans under differ- 
ent chiefs, who are supreme among their own people, 
serious difficulties are rarely, if aver, adjusted in an 



The Hero Missionary, 175 

amicable manner. Feuds are frequent, and often end 
most disastrously. When one clan nourishes revenge 
or hatred against another, from whatever cause, an 
opportunity is sought to fall upon their enemies at a 
time when least expected. An open declaration of 
hostile intentions is never made. The triumphant 
party kill as many men as they can, and all the females 
and children they can seize are carried away for slaves. 
Those clans located within the limits of Arracan, are, 
of course, subject to British rule, and they appear to 
appreciate the advantages of living in a state of secu- 
rity under the protection of law. Depending for 
their subsistence almost entirely on the cultivation 
of the soil, war is not the natural element of the Kem- 
mees ; it is rather a circumstance growing out of 
their peculiar condition. 

The introduction of books, and the establishment 
of schools, will lay the foundation of their civilization 
and happiness, because the first lessons they learn, 
will be the knowledge of God. This knowledge will 
spread over the whole length and breadth of the land, 
and convert this wilderness into a fruitful field." 

Subsequently Mr. Kincaid made several visits to 
this people, and Mr. Stilson, in the course of a brief 
residence, studied their language, and having reduced 
its elements to writing, was the means of supplying 
them with a number of books. At a still later period, 
they were visited by Mr. Ingalls, whose labors among 



176 Kincaid : 



them, under the divine blessing, resulted in a number 
of hopeful conversions. Among those baptized was 
Paiting, son of the Mountain Chief, a young man of 
marked piety, who often, in his private devotions, 
would be heard pleading with God for his country- 
men, and in every prayer his fervent cry was — " Oh, 
Lord, send a teacher from America for the Kemmees." 



The Hero Missionary. 177 



CHAPTER XV< 

VISIT TO AMERICA. 

" For not he that oommendeth himself is approved, but whoa the Lord com- 
mendeth."— 2 Cor. x. 18. 

" The man of God, give him -welcome home ! 
For many long and weary years he's roamed ; 
And now, once more, he hails his native land ; — 
give him greetings warm, a brother's hand." 

Me. Kincaid had now been in Burniah more than 
twelve years, and the health of his wife requiring a 
change of climate, it was determined that he should 
make a visit to his native land, which he did in 1833. 

The reception which he here met, afforded striking 
proof of the hold which he had upon the hearts of 
his brethren, and the results which followed his 
efforts to awaken a missionary spirit in the churches, 
were regarded as quite astonishing. During his so- 
journ in this country he traveled through nearly 
every State in the Union, making his thrilling appeals 
to the people, and awakening, every where, a new 

and marvelous interest in behalf of foreign missions. 

8* 



178 * Kincaid 



To follow him through all the remarkable incidents 
connected with this visit, is more than I am prepared 
to attempt, nor will the limits of a single chapter 
allow of any thing beyond a brief reference to a few 
of the leading features of this memorable period in 
his history. 

The character and influence of nis public addresses 
may, to a degree, be inferred from reports which, in 
some instances, were attempted to be made for the 
press, and yet to those who have never heard him, 
these must necessarily convey a very imperfect idea 
of their effect as they fell directly from his own lips. 
To appreciate them fully, the reader must have before 
his mind the person of the speaker ; he must be able 
to call up his peculiar intonations, but especially 
must he remember his lofty and impassioned strain 
of utterance when, all aglow with his subject, every 
fibre of his frame appeared to tremble with emotion, 
and every sensibility of his soul seemed stirred to its 
depths and roused to its intensest activity. 

Never, while memory remains, can any forget the 
impression made on the heart in listening to the 
account given by him of the parting interview 
of the lamented Comstock's with their two children, 
and of the last words Mr. Comstock uttered to Mr. 
Kincaid. Owing to the difficulty of educating them 
in a heathen land, they were entrusted to Mr. Kin- 
caid's care, to be taken to America, and the following 



The Hero Missionary. 179 

extract from one of his addresses gives an affecting 
view of their painful separation :• — 

" We were together one day, at their house, when 
word came that the ship was ready to sail, and we 
must prepare to embark immediately. Upon the ar- 
rival of this message, which we had been expecting, 
Mrs. Comstock arose from her seat, took her two 
children, one in each hand, and walked with them to- 
wards a grove of tamarind trees near the house. 
When she had walked some little distance, she paused 
a moment, looked at each of her children with all a 
mother's love, and imprinted an affectionate kiss upon 
the forehead of each. She then raised her eyes to 
heaven, silently invoked a blessing on their heads 5 
returned to the house, and delivering her children 
into my hands, said, ' Brother Kincaid, this I do for 
my Saviour J 

Brother Comstock then took his two children by 
the hand, and led them from the house towards the 
ship, while that tender mother gazed upon them, as 
they walked away, for the last time. She saw them 
no more on earth. God grant that she may meet 
them in heaven 1 Brother Comstock accompanied 
his two children to the ship, which lay about two 
miles off in the bay. When we had descended to the 
cabin, he entered one of the state-rooms with his chil- 
dren. There he knelt with them in prayer, laid his 
hands upon their heads, and bestowed a father's 



180 Kincaid: 



blessing "upon them — the tears, all the while, stream- 
ing down his cheeks. This affecting duty over, he 
resumed, at once, his usual calmness. He took leave 
of me with a gentle pressure of the hand, and I fol- 
lowed him to the side of the vessel, as he descended 
into the small boat which lay along-side, and which 
was to convey him to the shore. Never shall I forget 
the words, or the tone in which those words were ut- 
tered, as he turned up his face, still bedewed with 
tears, and exclaimed, as the boat moved away, ' Re- 
member, BROTHER KlNOAID, SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN V 

I never saw brother or sister Corns to ck after that. 
The very day that we took a pilot on board off Sandy 
Hook, April 28th, 1843, was the day that sister Corn- 
stock died, and in one year afterward, lacking three 
days, that is, on the 25th of April, 1844, brother Corn- 
stock followed her. Now they sleep side by side in 
the grave-yard at Ramree, under the tamarind trees ; 
and sister Abbott and her children are buried in the 
same ground. 

Ah, my Christian friends, could you have witnessed 
the parting of these beloved missionaries with their 
children ; — could you have stood with the survivors 
by the graves of the loved ones who lie buried on 
those heathen shores, you would then have known 
something of what it is to make sacrifices for the 
missionary cause. 

Once more let me call upon this audience to re- 



The Hero Missionary. 181 

member the last parting words of the beloved Corn- 
stock ! and then let me ask, in the name of my de- 
parted brother, and of Jesus, the Master whom he 
served — shall we go back to that heathen land with- 
out ' SIX MEN FOE AEEACAN V " 

It was this noble illustration of Christian heroism, 
so touchingly related, that called from the pen of 
Charles Thurber, Esq., the following beautiful lines : 

SIX MEN FOE AEEACAN. 

The mother stamp' d a burning kiss 

Upon each little brow ; 
So dear a sacrifice as this, 

She never made till now ; 
Go, go, my babes, the Sabbath bell 

Will greet ye o'er the sea ; 
I'll bid my idol ones farewell, 

For Thee, my God, for Thee. 
But off they'd gone — those little ODes — 

Tsaw them gaily trip, 
And chatter on in merry tones, 

To see the gallant ship. 
The stricken sire — he'd often drank 

Sad draughts at duty's beck — 
He leads them calmly o'er the plank, 

And stands upon the dock ; 
As pale as polished Parian stones, 

As white as Arctic snows, 
Beside those young and cherished ones 

The stricken father bows* 
He breathes one prayer — he prints one kiss, 

And turns him toward the shore — 



182 Kincaid 



He felt, till now, the babes were his, 
But they were his no more ; 

The silken tie, more strong than death, 
That bound their hearts was riven, 

And floating on an angel's breath, 
Rose up and clung to heaven. 

Why lingers he upon the shore 1 

Why turns he to the deck 1 
Perhaps, to say farewell, once more, 

Perhaps, one look to take. 
! no ; but calm as angels now, 

That kneel before the throne, 
Where twice ten thousand thousand bow, 

And say, " Thy will be done" - 
He said — " My brother, when you stand, 

Beyond the raging deep, 
In that delightful, happy land, 

Where all our fathers sleep , 
When you shall hear their Sabbath bell 

Call out their happy throngs, 
And hear the organ's solemn swell ; 

And Zion's sacred songs — 
Tell them a herald, far away, 

Where midnight broods o'er man, 
Bade ye this solemn message say, 

" Six men for Arracan." 

While in that happy land of theirs, 
They feast on blessings given, 

And genial suns and healthful airs, 
Come speeding fresh from heaven ; 

Tell them, that, near yon idol dome, 
There dwells a lonely man, 

Who bade ye take this message hoin^ 
" Six men for Arracan. 



The Hero Missionary. 183 



Sweet home — ah, yes ! I know how sweet 

Within my country, thou, 
I've known what heart- felt pleasures meet — 

I 've felt — and feel them now. 
Well, in those lively scenes of bliss, 

Whore childhood's joys began, 
I'd have ye, brother, tell them this, 

"Six men for Arracan." 

! when the saint lies down to die. 

And friendship round him stands, 
And faith directs his tearless eye, 

To fairer, happier lands — 
How calm he bids poor earth adieu ! 

With all most dear below ! 
The spirit sees sweet home in view, 

And plumes her wings to go. 
Stop, dying saint — ! linger yet, 

And cast one thought on man — 
Be this the last that you forget — 

"SIX MEN FOR ARRACAN." 

In the month of November, 1843, a number of mis- 
sionary meetings, remarkable for their interest and 
results, were held with the various Baptist churches 
in Philadelphia. At one of these gatherings, in the 
large round house of the Sansom-St. Church, after 
the reading of an able report by the Rev. Dr. Wil- 
liams, on the Duty of Churches in reference to the 
Mission Cause, Mr. Kincaid rose to move its adop- 
tion. " There are a great many intelligent people," 
said he, " who have seriously made it a question, 
whether we, in this day, are to expect the same sue- 



184 Kincaid 



cess as marked the history of primitive Christians, 
in their efforts to furnish, the heathen with the pre- 
cious Gospel. 

My brethren, if I had never read a single mission- 
ary letter, if I had read nothing but the acts of the 
Apostles, I feel well satisfied, that if we preach the 
Gospel in all its length and breadth, and richness, and 
in the same spirit and labor to win souls as did the 
primitive Christians, we should have in some degree 
the same success. If at present, we do not meet with 
the same or like success, the reason is, that we do not 
preach in the same spirit, and have not the same love 
for souls as they had. I would inquire whether we 
have not had success ; and would reply, look to our 
brethren on missionary ground, and look at the re- 
sults of their labors, and we have great reason to 
take courage. Why, just as we are beginning to 
think about doing this great work, the windows of 
heaven are opened, and a blessing is poured down 
upon us. 

In 1830, how many missionaries had we in Bur- 
mah ? — only three, and of these only two were quali- 
fied to preach the Gospel. Brother Bennet was en- 
gaged in printing, while brethren Wade and Board- 
man had only been a short time able to preach in 
their language. It took two years before either of 
them could be prepared for preaching in Burmese. 
It was not until 1834, that the missionaries were rein- 



The Hero Missionary. 1#£ 



forced ; and from that time down to 1836, and to the 
present time, we have <mly had about seven or eight 
men actually employed in preaching ; but much work 
has been done besides preaching the Gospel. The 
Bible has been translated, a dictionary and grammar 
prepared, tracts have been written and printed, and 
widely circulated, and the Karen language has been 
formed and reduced to writing ; and now the New 
Testament has been nearly translated in the Karen 
language, a hymn-book containing about five hundred 
hymns, also a grammar. Now the accomplishment 
of all this important work, devolved on the mission- 
aries, so that there had not been more than seven 
missionaries at any one time engaged in preaching 

the Gospel, and yet our labors have been blessed. 
•3fr # * ■*■ * * 

In looking, therefore, at these facts, we may truly 
say, that our preaching has not been in vain, and yet 
our missionary brethren all complain of want of faith 
in preaching to these poor idolators, and they are 
striving for more of the faith of Paul and Barnabas ; 
now, when we can come up to the faith which they 
possessed, we shall no doubt experience more, and 
still greater, even, like success with them ; and, I 
think, the native preachers are rapidly arriving at 
this state of feeling. There was one native convert 
who fully believed — indeed, his faith was so strong, 
that he had no doubt that Jesus Christ came into the 



18b Kincaid: 



world to save the lost, and that ail who sat under his 
preaching would be saved. This was, indeed, a won- 
derful instance of saving grace. He was a man taken 
from among the very lowest orders. I cannot tell of 
the bloody scenes he passed through. He became a 
robber, and a robber in Burmah is always a murderer, 
— and he was, therefore, a murderer. Indeed, I can- 
not tell of his wicked deeds. This brother, whose 
name was Ko-tha-bu, was a robber from his early life. 
Robbers in Burmah are men, who profess to execute 
the most horrid deeds. Their very countenances 
look as if all the feeling and compassion they ever 
enjoyed had been blotted out, and every trace of hu- 
manity lost in their character. This man, I say, 
whose muscular arm had never trembled, when with 
his drawn sword he stood over his victim — this man, 
whose lips had never quivered as he looked upon his 
slaughtered enemy — this man, whose eyes had never 
filled and overflowed with the tear of sympathy and 
compassion — this murderer, who, from early life up 
to the period of his conversion, had had his hands 
imbrued in the blood of his fellow-man — was, in the 
providence of God, separated from his wicked com- 
panions, and became a humble disciple of Christ. He 
heard the Gospel from the lips of a native preacher, 
and it reached his guilty soul, and he was brought by 
the power of God to submit to the cross of Christ, 
and there his heart was softened — that heart which 



The Hero Missionary. 187 

could not weep over deeds of blood, wept over the 
cross of Christ. But it was a. long time "before the 
brethren could place confidence in his professions ot 
attachment to the Saviour ; they could hardly realize 
that the change was real. Judson was afraid of him, 
and would not baptize him ; and "Wade felt afraid of 
his connecting himself with the church ; but finally, 
Boardman had resolved upon going to Tavoy to pro- 
claim the Gospel, and it was a new field, and he could 
not obtain the consent of any of his converts to ac- 
company him, they were afraid to go. At length 
Ko-tha-bu came forward, and offered to go with him, 
and rather than go alone, Boardman consented to 
take him, as he had a little hope that the truth was 
in him. On their way, he frequently conversed with 
him on the subject of religion, and he saw so much 
of the spirit of Christ in him, that he was induced to 
baptize him, at the same time he'feared lest he should 
baptize an unconverted man and not a Christian. 
After this, Ko-tha-bu insisted upon going to the hill 
country of Tavoy, to carry the Gospel to his country- 
men, and when he returned, he brought with him 
thirty of these poor Karens, who had accompanied 
him in order to see the foreign teacher. The memory 
of the Karens is very tenacious ; they remember al- 
most everything they hear, having to depend on their 
memory, as they have had no written language nor 
any books, until very lately. Ko-tha-bu preached 



18s iLmcaia : 



daily to them Jesus and him crucified, and they re- 
membered ail he said ; and when Boardman saw 
them he was surprised and delighted with their con- 
versation, and at their knowledge ot divine things, 
for it was wonderful in his eyes, and he talked with 
them and was satisfied that they were the children 
of God ; but he was too weak to baptize them. In a 
very short time Br. Mason, who had just arrived in 
the country, visited Tavoy, and Boardman got him 
to baptize these Karen converts ; and he was carried 
to the bank of the river, and being too ill to sit up, 
he was supported in the arms of Mrs. Boardman 
while he witnessed the sight. 

But the labors of Ko-tha-bu did not stop here ; he 
went on and preached Christ to his heathen country- 
men. In 1835, brother Abbott and myself designed 
going to Arracan, and who should we get to accom- 
pany us? At last we obtained two Burmese and 
two Karens, one of whom was Ko-tha-bu, who, on be- 
ing asked to go with us about seven hundred miles, 
made no objection. He seemed willing to go any 
where, so that he might impart the blessings of the 
gospel to his countrymen. He went with us ; and in 
less than ten days after reaching the province, he was 
off searching out the villages, and going from house 
to house, preaching the word. But in about one 
year after this, he died there ; not, however, until he 
had been instrumental in giving the gospel to more 



The Hero Missionary. 189 

than three hundred. Now it may be said, that from 
first to iast this man was compelled by an overpow- 
ering conviction that he must carry the gospel to all, 
and he seemed to have the impression that wherever 
he preached, converts would be made and churches 
would be organized. I was with this man enough to 
see and to' testify to his spirit. He was naturally one 
of the most unamiable of men ; but oy the subduing 
power of grace, he ruled over his own spirit : he had 
a burning love for souls, and that gospel which he 
preached, he believed sufficient to save all. I have 
been with him in the mountains, in cities, and on the 
plains. I have heard him pray in the congregation 
and in families, and I have overheard him in secret ; 
and invariably, whenever and wherever he would en- 
gage, he would commence his prayer with a confes- 
sion to God that he had been a great murderer ; and 
the big tear would roll down his cheeks, and his Ian-* 
guage was that of a penitent seeking forgiveness. 
Now who, in looking upon this instance, can doubt 
the power of God in Burmah ! In this, as in other 
instances, God has shown us that the gospel has lost 
none of its power, and all that is wanted, is to carry 
the gospel believingly, and come with it to their vil- 
lages and cottages — and their very doors — and pub- 
licly preach it, and God will bless it. * * * * 

When I was about to leave India, I wrote brother 
Mason, and asked what '. should get for him in Ame- 



190 Kivmid; 



rica. His answer is, ' among all other things, remem- 
ber, first, good preachers for Burmah ; revivalist 
preachers — men who like nothing better than preach- 
ing and praying ;' and then he breaks out and says 
— ' Oh ! America ! with all thy treasures, there is 
nothing I wish but some of your men who are pre- 
pared of God for pentecostal seasons ;' and as yet, not 
a single man has offered to go to the Mountain Chief, 
or to the other opening fields of labor. Now, I won- 
der whether, in the days of Paul, when the churches 
were small and few, whether there would not have 
been dozens to have said, ' Here am I — send me/ if 
a call like the present had reached them. It does 
appear to me, my brethren, that we have not begun 
to look at this subject as we should, to make it our 
duty morning and night, to pray over it, until the 
heart of every pastor and every church member is 
deeply imbued with the spirit of missions." 

Being present at the special meeting of the Baptist 
General Convention, held in New York city, in the 
month of November, 1845, Mr. Kincaid was called 
upon during one of its sessions to speak. Dr. Jud- 
son, in his powerful plea for Arracan, had already 
awakened in the minds of the assembly an extraordi- 
nary degree of interest ; but, notwithstanding this, 
the words of Mr. Kincaid contributed, if possible, to 
carry the feelings of the meeting tc a still higher 
pitch of excitement : — 



The Hero Missionary. 191 

*' I bless God," said he, " for this day and the days 
that are past. I have never supposed for a single 
moment that one of our missions would be abandoned. 
So far as my experience goes — though that is but 
very limited, being confined to the Burman and Karen 
missions — but so far as it goes, no missionary in that 
great and idolatrous empire has ever labored for any 
considerable time, in any single place, without seeing 
the gospel take root in that heathen land. In every 
single place where they have gone and preached for 
any length of time, they have seen churches raised 
up there. 

I never understood, as I now understand, a great 
many portions of the Holy Scriptures. ' Ask of me 
my Son, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine 
inheritance.' I recollect the very first time I landed 
on the shores of Burmah. It was about one o'clock at 
night, on the wharves of Rangoon. Brother Mason 
and I came up the Salwen River in Burman boats. 
A large crowd thronged around us, and among them 
were brethren Bennett and Wade. They welcomed 
us, but the natives with smiling faces thronged round 
us, and reached out their hands, almost every one of 
them uttering words as rapidly as possible. I asked, 
1 What do they say ?' ' They are saying,' replied one 
of the brethren, 'welcome, welcome to this land.' 
This was on a Saturday night about one o'clock. 

The next morning I heard Brother Wade preach, 



192 Kincaid : 



and in the evening these native converts held a pray- 
er meeting. Some fourteen or fifteen, almost every 
one of whom I conld name, prayed one after the other. 
In their prayers I heard one word which was familiar 
to my ears, it was l America, America. 7 Every one of 
them, in their prayers pouring ont their full hearts 
before God, had something to say about America. 
After the prayer meeting was over, I asked, ' What 
is it that they were all praying for about America V 
and Mr. Wade's reply was, * They were blessing God 
that their brethren in the great country of America 
had remembered them, and had sent out two more 
teachers to bring the gospel to their countrymen, and 
praying that the blessing of the Most High might 
rest upon those brethren and sisters in America.' 
Well, I said to myself, this is what God means. ' I 
will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and 
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.' 
From that day forward I felt as I had never felt be- 
fore. Long had my heart been set on carrying the 
gospel to the heathen, but after that day, I seemed 
to live by sight and not by faith." 

The great object of Mr. Kincaid in all his journey- 
ings and labors in different parts of the land, was to 
awaken in the churches a deeper interest and more 
enlarged liberality in behalf of the work of missions. 
This pressed constantly upon his mind, — to promote 



The Hero Missionary, 193 

it he felt was his peculiar work, and he would not 
rest until he saw it, in a measure, accomplished : 

" It is time," said he, writing from Kentucky to the 
late Dr. Cone, " to awake as we never have before, 
that the reapers may overtake them that sow, and 
gather in the precious harvest. More men must go 
to Arracan, and one more to Mergui. The seed sown 
is taking root and thousands are turning to God. It 
cannot be that the churches will slumber over these 
clear indications of divine providence, to go up and 
possess the land." 

Nor was he mistaken in this opinion ; for the 
churches did begin, in a measure, to awake to their 
responsibility, and throughout the country, but espe- 
cially in the large cities, a liberality was exhibited in 
behalf of foreign missions surpassing any thing that 
had ever before been known in the history of Ameri- 
can Baptists. 

In addition to the efficient efforts of Mr. Kincaid tc 
enlighten the churches with reference to the real 
state of the heathen, and to impress upon them their 
duty to the missionary enterprise, he was, also, 
chiefly instrumental in starting the new University 
of Lewisburg, and, with the assistance of the Eev. 
W. Shadrach, D.D., succeeded in securing a sub- 
scribed endowment of $100,000. Thus, while he had _ 
been signally successful in bringing the churches up 

to increased activity for the world's conversion, he 

9 



194 Kincaid : 



was permitted, at the same time, still farther to pro- 
mote that great end by laying the foundation of an 
institution from which, doubtless, many a young man 
will go forth to reap the precious harvests that are, 
even now, whitening every field of Christian effort. 






The Hero Missionary. 195 



CHAPTER XYI. 

REOPENING OF BUKMAH. 

" Be wise now, therefore, ye kings ; be instructed, ye judges of the earth 
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he 
be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.'' 

Ps.ii: 10-12. 
" Trust, trust the faithful God ; 

Hi3 promise is unfailing ; 
The prayer of faith can pierce the skies ; 
Ite breath is all-prevailing. 

Look ! look ! the fields are white ; 

And stay thy hand no longer ; 
Though Satan's mighty legions fight, 

The arm of God is stronger." 

The chief cause of Mr. Kincaid's prolonged visit 
in this country was the distracted state of the Burman 
empire. After the ascension of Thur-ri-wa-di to the 
throne — whose arbitrary policy was the immediate 
cause of Mr. Kincaid leaving Ava — the condition of 
the country, for a long time, was such as to render it 
impossible to occupy it as a field of labor, at least 
with any hope of extensive usefulness. 

But, beside the contracted views of the govern- 



196 Kincaid 



ment, so unsettled was the whole state of their poli- 
tical affairs, that it was impossible to calculate what 
would be the developments of the future, and the 
only course left, therefore, was patiently to wait the 
unfoldings of Providence. 

Yery soon, however, events began to transpire 
which awakened confident hope — that the day was 
near when that dark land would again be thrown 
open as a field for missionary effort. 

The history of the revolution under Thur-ri-wa-di, 
his success, and the subsequent inglorious termina- 
tion of his cruel reign, together with the encouraging 
prospect which it afforded of the reoccupancy of 
Burmah proper, was most graphically sketched by 
Mr. Kincaid immediately upon receiving intelligence 
of the overthrow of the revolutionists. 

" The emperor of Burmah," he wrote, " is dethron- 
ed, and an entire revolution has taken place in the 
government. Prince Melcara is made regent, and 
the Woon-gee, who signed the Yandabo treaty, is 
associated with him in the new administration. 

This change in the government will be hailed with 
rapture through all the provinces in the empire. No 
two men could be more unlike, than the Mekara 
prince and the deposed monarch — the one by nature 
a tyrant, and the other amiable and unambitious. I 
became acquainted with both these princes in 1833, 
and by both was treated with great kindness. 



The Hero Missionary. 197 

Tliur-ra-ica-di manifested no interest in any conver- 
sation but such as related to the power, wealth, and 
political influence of nations. He pretended to ad- 
mire France, Persia, and China, and never concealed 
his dislike of the English. No one could be with 
him long, without perceiving that his'hatred of the 
English arose from his dread of their power. He 
took one of the daily papers printed in Calcutta, had 
it translated, and when he could fix upon any reverse 
or disaster, it seemed to afford him the highest grati- 
fication. He is five feet four inches in height, and 
well formed. His forehead is remarkably high and 
retreating, and his eyes brilliant and piercing. When 
pleased, his eyes are peculiarly fascinating ; but when 
angry, they are lighted up with dreadful vengeance. 
The MeTc-a-ra prince is somewhat taller, but less 
muscular, and has a high, full forehead, with large, 
intelligent, and smiling eyes. When thoughtful and 
studious, there is a slight tinge of melancholy in his 
countenance, but in conversation there is a glow of 
kindliness spread over his whole face. His inquiries 
always turned upon religion, science, and literature. 
The philosophy of religion, or the great principles 
brought out and inculcated by different systems of 
religion, interested him deeply. Next, mathematics, 
astronomy, and languages, interested him. He is the 
most learned Burman in the world. To gratify his 
thirst for learning, he procured Rees' Cyclopedia 



198 Kincaid: 



and other works, a pair of large English globes, and 
a telescope, in which he can see the rings of Saturn, 
and the satelites of Jupiter. I gave him a copy of 
the Bible, and a copy of Gallaudet on the Soul, in the 
Burman language. Paul's epistle to the Romans in- 
terested him more than any other book. He often 
remarked on its profound reasoning, and on the great 
principles there brought out. Dr. Price had taught 
him to read English, but he was not able to speak it. 
At his request, Dr. Price commenced an English and 
Burman dictionary ; and after his death, it was taken 
up and finished by Mr. Lane, an English merchant, 
and printed at the expense of the Honorable East 
India Company. 

The amiable and humane character of the Mekara 
prince is proverbial in Burmah. 

Ko Gway, a venerable old man, who became a 
Christian, and afterwards deacon of the church in 
Ava, told me he was an eye-witness of a successful 
act of the 3Iekara in behalf of two state criminals. 
The men were leaders in a rebellion in one of the 
frontier provinces. They were brought to Ava and 
sentenced to be crucified. This sentence was carried 
into execution without the walls of Ava, a little after 
sundown. The next morning, very early, the prince, 
then about twelve years old, went out with his at- 
tendants and passed near where these two men were 
crucified. Hearing their agonizing cries, he inquired 



The Hero Missionary 199 

what it meant, and being informed, he directed his 
attendants to hasten with him to the palace. He 
threw himself at his father's feet, and with bitter 
tears, implored him to have mercy on the men. The 
king gave orders, instantly, to have them taken down. 
It was a little after sunrise when they reached the 
place, and their groans had become feeble, as life was 
fast ebbing away. The wood was sawed off each side 
of the feet and hands, and then the wood split, in 
order to draw out the great iron spikes ; the young 
prince all the time standing by, weeping and hurry- 
ing the men. The older of the prisoners was too far 
gone to be restored, and soon expired. The younger, 
being about thirty, revived, after all that horrible 
suffering, and in a few weeks "was entirely cured. 
This act of humanity procured for him the respect 
and veneration of the whole empire. 

Thur-ra-wa-di was proud, haughty, ambitious and 
cruel. It was well known in Ava, that persons whom 
he disliked had been betrayed within his compound, 
and murdered by his orders. Some of the most dis- 
tinguished robber chieftains in the empire were 
known to be in constant communication with him, 
and had his protection ; but the fact that he was the 
king's own brother, and shared largely in the king's 
confidence, was a sufficient reason why no officer of 
government should venture to impeach him. It is 
true, this prince had some interesting traits of cha- 



200 Kincaid: 



racter, which, among a people like the Burmans, 
atoned for many faults. He was enterprising, en- 
thusiastic, and generous in his temperament. Those 
whom he esteemed, he loaded with favors, and met 
with fascinating smiles. In February, 1837, a notori- 
ous robber chief, who had received for himself the 
title of Kea-gee, (the great tiger) was pursued by the 
government, and it was currently reported and be- 
lieved, that he had taken shelter with the prince 
Thur-ra-wa-di. A messenger was sent from the 
LTioot dau (the king's high court) to the palace of 
Thur-ra-wa-di, to inquire if Kea-gee was there. This 
was an insult which the prince could not brook. He 
took fire instantly, and used insulting and threaten- 
ing language towards the court, at the head of which 
was the queen's brother, whom he hated, as he did 
the queen, with a deadly hate. The messenger fled 
back to the Llioot dau, and without loss of time, an 
officer, with some eighty or a hundred men, was sent 
to search for the robber chieftain. The prince, 
aware of what was going on, armed between one and 
two hundred of his men, and when the police arrived 
at his gate, and demanded admission, the prince or- 
dered his men to fire. Two or three were killed, 
several wounded, and the rest fled precipitately to 
the LJwot dau. This was open rebellion ; the whole 
city was in an uproar. Thur-ra-wa-di, taking his 
family and about three hundred men, forced one of 



The Hero Missionary. 201 

the gates of the city, and seizing whatever boats they 
came to, crossed the river to Sagaing. Taking the 
governor of that city and a few hundred men, the 
prince went, by forced marches, to 31oJce-so-bo, a 
strongly fortified city, about fifty miles west of Ava. 
He next sent messengers through all the provinces 
to report that the queen's brother had usurped the 
throne, imprisoned the king, murdered the heir-appa- 
rent, and was seeking to take his life ; and he called 
upon all to rally around his standard, and assist in 
putting down the queen's brother. The robber chief- 
tains were despatched to collect their hordes of out- 
laws together. In a few days, he had about ten thou- 
sand armed men, and these were so placed as to cut 
off all communication between Ava and the provinces. 
He had his spies constantly circulating reports in 
Ava, magnifying the number of his forces, and re- 
peating the solemn oaths he took before pagodas, 
that his only design was to put down the queen's 
brother, and restore the king to his rightful power. 
As the queen's brother was odious to the people gen- 
erally, they were ready to believe any such report. 
This paralyzed the government ; for though the king 
soon had some thirty thousand troops, and the walls 
of Ava bristling with cannon, it availed nothing. The 
people thought that in fighting Thur-ra-wa-di, they 
were really fighting their king. So there was con- 
stant defection in the king's army. Early in May, 

9* 



202 Kincaid : 






Ava was beleagured. On every side was a large 
army intent on plundering the capital. The Mekara 
prince was sent to intercede for the city. Tliur-ra- 
wa-di insisted on giving it over to be sacked by his 
armies. Col. Burney, the English Resident, was re- 
quested by the king to use his influence to save the 
city from the awful calamity threatened. Nothing 
can exceed the anxiety and gloom that reigned 
through the city. All business ceased. Old men 
sat in groups, here and there, conversing mournfully. 
Mothers sat in their doors with their children nest- 
led around them, listening to the thousand tales of 
outrage and cruelty committed without the walls the 
night before. The gayety of the Imperial city was 
gone. The walls were covered with troops, but no 
confidence was placed in them. All dreaded the ap- 
proach of night, fearing an attack before morning. 
The appearance of Halley's comet, at this time, great- 
ly increased the consternation. 

The king was urgent for Col. Burney to interpose 
his kind offices. Thur-ra-wa-di himself, was still at 
3foke-so-bo, and Col. Burney proceeded to that city. 
He persuaded the prince to come and take charge of 
his armies, and after many interviews, he consented 
to spare the city. The keys of Ava were delivered 
to him, the king's troops were disbanded, and the 
whole empire was prostrate at his feet. To Col. 
Burney, under God, must probably be attributed the 



The Hero Missionary. 203 



deliverance of Ava from one of the most fearful cala- 
mities that can befall a great city. 

In a few days, the prisons of Ava were crowded 
with noblemen and officers, who had been attached 
to the old government. In violation of oaths and 
promises, the king was placed in confinement ; the 
queen and her only daughter, about fourteen years 
old, were trampled to death by elephants ; the queen's 
brother, after suffering the most horrible tortures, 
was put to death. Public executions took place al- 
most daily, and hordes of robbers overrun the land. 
Thur-ra-ica-di tore in pieces the Yandaoo treaty, and 
told Col. Burney that though he respected him as a 
man and as a British officer, yet as a Resident at the 
court of Ava, he did not know him. About the same 
time, he sent a special messenger to me, to inform 
me that I must neither preach nor give my sacred 
books to the people. The next day I waited on the 
new king, to learn from his own lips his intentions on 
a subject so momentous as the closing of his empire 
against the diffusion of Christian knowledge. I was 
received, as formerly, in the kindest manner, and he 
introduced the subject himself, in the presence of his 
whole court, by saying, ' The fates have made me 
king, and, therefore, I am Tha-tha-na-da-ya-ka, (de- 
fender of the faith) and must sustain the religion of 
the empire.' Much more to the same import he said 
as a reason for the course he had marked out for his 



204 Kincaid 



government. It would require too much space here, 
to give in detail the conversation, which rilled up 
more than an hour. The next day I called, taking 
with me the JBurman Bible, in four volumes. Some 
three years before, I had given the prince a copy of 
the New Testament. The king inquired; very pleas- 
antly, ' What have you there V l The only book which 
the Eternal God has given to mankind,' I replied. He 
called an officer and directed him to take it to his pri- 
vate apartments. He went on to say, that he wished 
me to remain at Ava, — that I could teach science, and 
that he wished me to translate for him the History of 
England. I replied, that it was impossible for me to 
lay aside the office and work of a teacher of religion. 
The king's mind appeared to be made up that the 
Christian religion should not be taught, and my mind 
was equally made up to remain in Ava only as a 
teacher of Christianity. 

To act covertly, and try to accomplish something 
secretly, was foreign to my feelings and in opposition 
to all my views of the spirit and genius of Christian- 
ity. We left Ava in sadness. We had seen a little 
church grow up within the walls of that ancient and 
proud city, — large numbers had become partially en- 
lightened, and their minds favorably impressed with 
the principles of Christianity. Mrs. Kincaid was 
almost daily surrounded with females, who called to 
converse with her, and listen to her instruction. And 






The Hero Missionary, 205 

the morning we left, a multitude of onr old and fami- 
liar friends, as well as the church, thronged the shore , 
and when the parting words were uttered, not a few 
of them wept, bidding us not to forget them. The 
flood bore us on, and soon nothing was to be seen of 
the great city but the tall, glittering spires. The 
thoughts and feelings of that hour must remain unre- 
corded. Ko Gway and his wife, two aged disciples, 
who had endeared themselves to us by their amiable 
manners and tender solicitude for our happiness, 
spent a large part of the preceding day at our house, 
rendering whatever assistance they could. Several 
times they said, 'Teacher, we shall pray that God 
will change the mind of the king, or else take him 
away. 7 Such were the feelings and prayers of many. 
Thur-ra-ica-di had put to death the heir-apparent, — 
the queen, — her brother, — and a large number of the 
nobility and officers ; all on whom there was the 
slightest taint of suspicion that they were favorable 
to the old government. He was not satisfied with re- 
moving the governors of provinces and cities, — the 
greater number of them were brought to Ava in irons 
and then beheaded. One with whom I had been a 
guest, the governor of Mo Nheen, a province near the 
borders of China, was brought to Ava in chains, and 
then fastened up to posts, and embowelled near a 
great thoroughfare just without the walls of the city ; 
and when we left Ava, the 17th of June the bones 



206 Kincaid : 



were still hanging there, rattling in the wind. He 
was a venerable old man, and highly intelligent. In 
the preceding February, when on a tour through the 
northern provinces of the empire, I spent a night and 
a day in his house, and it was hard breaking away 
from him. His urbanity and kindness would do hon- 
or to a man in any country. On reaching my boat, I 
found his lady had sent a variety of articles for my 
journey. His only crime was attachment to the old 
king. Neither faithfulness nor fitness for office was 
regarded, — nearly all were swept away. Every thing 
indicated that Thur-ra-wa-di would secure to his fam- 
ily an undisputed throne. The Governor General of 
India took no notice of his spurning the English Re- 
sident from his court, and his trampling under foot 
the treaty of Yandabo ; but, after some months, sent 
up aD other officer of high distinction, Col. Benton, 
with a large amount in presents. The forbearance 
of the Governor General only increased his insolence. 
Col. Benton could not obtain an audience, and the ba- 
zaar people w T ere punished for selling provisions to 
Col. Benton's servants, so that they were in danger 
of being starved. Col. Benton, with his suite, was 
obliged to leave. After this he raised an army of 
100,000 men, and all well armed, proceeded to Ran- 
goon, 500 miles from the capital. With such a vast 
army hovering near the provinces ceded to the Eng- 
lish, and led on by the king himself, no small anxiety 



The Hero Missionary. 207 



was felt. To watch the movements of this army, cost 
the Indian Government about half a million. After 
a few months' stay in Rangoon, the king, with his 
army, returned to Ava. A large part of his army 
was disbanded, but soon after he raised another of 
100,000, and when about ready to march, the cholera 
broke out, spreading death and desolation through 
the empire. 

Last summer the king appointed a successor to the 
throne. Passing by the prince of Prome, a young 
man of great energy and influence, but inheriting, in 
no small degree, the sanguinary temperament of his 
father, the king selected and installed as his heir, a 
son of feeble intellect. The prince of Prome was of- 
fended, and the Prime Minister, Moung Dau Gyee, 
manifesting too openly his partiality for the prince, 
was called to the palace. The king inquired if he 
was aware of the disaffection of the prince of Prome ; 
the venerable old minister replied that he was. In- 
stantly, the king rose and stabbed his minister to the 
UOart. Losing all self-control, and apparently becom- 
ing insane, he killed a large number of his principal 
officers. The prince of Prome fled to the Shan pro- 
vinces, east of Ava, but soon returned and was exe- 
cuted. Among the ministers murdered, is Moung 
Girfla, a young man of rare talents, and the most dis- 
tinguished military man in Burmah. The remaining 
ministers and officers, fearing for their own safety, 



208 Kincaid, 



and regarding the king as insane, seized and confined 
him, and appointed a regency in which the MeJcara 
prince has a conspicuous place, as also the old noble- 
man who signed the Yandabo treaty. Thus has fallen 
one of the proudest monarchs, and one of the greatest 
tyrants that ever sat on the throne of Ava. In eight 
short years he, with all his family, have passed from 
ihe summit of human ambition to a felon's home. 

The probability is, that the pacific and enlightened 
principles of government pursued before the revolu- 
tion in 1837, will be restored ; that friendly relations 
will again be opened between Burmah and India ; the 
odious and crushing monopolies removed, and com- 
merce again flourish. The MeJcara prince is not a 
statesman ; but he is highly intelligent and enlight- 
ened, and withal, humane and generous. He has 
more knowledge of Christianity than any other prince 
in the empire, and is it too much to hope, that in 
mercy to the millions of Burmah, God has raised him 
to power ? To me it seems to be a most merciful in- 
terposition of Divine Providence, and that the way is 
opening to publish in the great and beautiful valley 
of. the Irrawaddy, the tidings of peace and salvation. 
Then over all the mountain districts of Burmah are 
thickly scattered the Karen villages, a people pre- 
pared, in a remarkable degree, for the reception of 
the gospel. Will the churches awake to more earnest 
prayer and vigorous effort ? Will heralds of salvation 



The Hero Missionary. 209 



say, ' send us ?' I wish to return, and I cherish the 
fond hope, that at no distant period, I shall be 
preaching the blessed gospel in the language of Bur- 
mah." 

11 Swiftly, on wings of love, 
Jesus, who reigns above, 

Bids us to fly ; 
They who his message bear 
Should neither doubt nor feu* ; 
He will their Friend appear ; 

He will be nigh. 

When on the mighty deep, 

He will their spirits keep, 
Stayed on his word ; 

When in a foreign land, 

No other friend at hand, 

Jesus will by them stand- 
Jesus, their Lord. 

Ye who, forsaking all, 

At your loved Master's catt, 

Comforts resign, 
Soon will your work be lone , r 
Soon will the prize be won ; 
Brighter than yonder sun 

Ye soon shall shine." 



210. Kincaid 



CHAPTER XVII. 

OFF 4.GAIN FOR BURMAfl. 

" He is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles, and 
kings." — Acts ix. 15. 

1 ' Yes ! we would not here detain you, 

But our daily prayers shall rise, 
Earnest with the love we bear you, 

While )'ou toil where error lies. 
Fervent pleadings, 

For rich blessings from the skies. 

Man of God, once more departing 

Hence to preach a Saviour slain, 
With a full, warm heart, we give thee 

To the glorious work again ! 
Faithful servant ! 

Thou with Christ shall rest and reign " 

Though anxious again to engage in his loved work, 
serious doubts were entertained by many as to the 
practicability of encouraging Mr. Kincaid to reenter 
Burmah, or of making any direct effort, at that time, 
to regain the ground which apparently had been lost. 
For several years it had been confidently asserted 



The Hero Missionary. 



211 



and published, that Burmah was closed, and that 
missionaries would not he allowed to labor there. 

Mr. Kincaid, however, believed that the time had 
fully come for resuscitating this mission, and, under 
a deep conviction of duty, he was led, in 1849, to ask 
from the Executive Committee, an appointment as a 
missionary to Ava. This request having been com- 
plied with, they were subsequently solicited to send 
a missionary-physician to the same field and at the 
same time. The brother who applied for the ap- 
pointment, Dr. Dawson, besides the qualifications 
which might ordinarily be looked for in a candidate 
Lor such service, had the advantage of an intimate 
knowledge of the Burmese people and language. 
His appointment was urged on the ground that his 
medical skill would be likely to prove a shield to the 
mission, and was strongly pressed by nearly every 
pastor and many influential laymen in Philadelphia ; 
the Committee, however, were unwilling to incur the 
expense and hazard of the experiment without special 
authorization from the Board. Accordingly, at the 
Annual Meeting of the Union, held at Buffalo in 1850, 
the whole subject was presented to the Board, and 
by them referred to a special committee who, through 
the Rev. Dr. Williams, made the following able re- 
port : — 

" The subject," said they, " is one of grave import, 
and is not without its peculiar difficulties. The re- 



212 Kincaid: 



newal of aggressive operations on the part of our 
missions against the heathenism of Burmah proper, 
has been for some years the theme of solicitude, dis- 
cussion and prayer. It seemed a reproach on Ameri- 
can Baptists, that whilst their labors had been drawn 
off or excluded from these territories, some members 
of the much older Romish missions remained in com- 
parative security : although it was understood they 
so remained in virtual inertness, mute and bound, as 
t to any efforts at proselytism. Our own labors among 
the Karens, a noble though a subjugated race of the 
population of Burmah, had been and yet are crowned 
with signal benediction. And the recent journals of 
Roman Catholic missions show, that to this field, in 
which our triumphs have far outstripped any Burman 
results of their labors, our success has provoked them, 
and in consequence, Romish priests are now going 
thither to rival, to thwart, and, if it may be, to sup- 
plant us. 

A brother beloved, who, after long toil in the East, 
had been spending years amongst us, feeding and 
kindling missionary zeal in this his native country, 
finds himself now in a state to attempt the resump- 
tion of his eastern tasks ; and his heart yearns to 
preach Christ at Ava itself, the imperial capital of 
Burmah. A large portion of his family will accom- 
pany him ; and it is thought that their very presence, 
with the husband and father, will be to Burman suspi- 






The Hero Missionary. 213 

cion a pledge of the honest and unworldly character 
of his mission. But, severed there, as this family 
would be from such medical relief as is accessible at 
many other mission stations, it seems desirable that 
they should not be sent out so unprovided in their 
perilous loneliness, and where sickness, so likely to 
befall them would, become doubly fearful and need- 
lessly fatal. A brother who was in youth long a resi- 
dent of that country, speaking several of its tongues, 
of approved medical skill, and a kinsman of the mis- 
sionary, and himself of allowed piety and devotion, 
offers himself and family to attend the venture. — 
Brethren in Philadelphia, long the city of his resi- 
dence, urge his appointment and most forcibly. 

On the other hand, the Executive Committee at 
Boston find themselves surrounded by peculiar em- 
barrassments. Recognizing the worth and medical 
skill and disinterestedness of the missionary physician, 
thus nominated for appointment, the brethren left in 
the keeping of our Mission Rooms are like Paul the 
Apostle, burdened with that charge, so anxious though 
so blessed a one : 'the care of all the churches cometh 
upon' them. They must look with earnest solicitude 
to the effect of every new station, established or re- 
occupied, upon the churches at home, as winning their 
decided sanction and support ; and upon the mission- 
ary churches and laborers abroad, as it may propitiate 
their judgment, and as it may aid their work on the 



214 KiKtaid 



one hand, or on the other hand lessen and divide 
their resources. 

Our churches in this country have spoken with 
some distinctness their opinion, that the press and 
the school and the tract may have sometimes crowd- 
ed disproportionately on the old apostolic method — 
the simple preaching of Christ's word ; and that the 
Executive Committee should therefore sedulously 
seek to restore the balance that may have been dis- 
turbed, between such ministerial and other forms of 
missionary labor. The physician in the present case 
would not go out as an ordained minister. Again, 
whilst opinions expressed on the part of some bre- 
thren, as our excellent brother Kincaid himself, and 
others more or less conversant with Burmah, favor 
the conclusion that Ava is open as a missionary sta- 
tion, several of our missionary brethren in Burmah 
itself seem to hold an opposite sentiment. If the 
doors of the imperial capital be found yet hopelessly 
sealed, the casting of the missionary enterprise which 
makes the experiment into so large and costly a shape, 
would be occasion hereafter of some regret if not 
complaint. It is allowed that, if the gates be found 
open, a physician maybe himself one of the strongest 
commendations and safeguards at Ava to a preaching 
missionary. The Luke, " the beloved physician/' may 
not only minister to the bodily infirmities of the Paul, 
but be the usher and defender and patron of the Apos- 



The Hero Missionary. 215 

tie. But this is an uncertain result, remote and pro- 
blematical ; whilst the pecuniary burdens consequent 
upon the measure would be certain and immediate 
and permanent. The Executive Committee are will- 
ing that our brother Kincaid should go forward ; and 
if on trial he find his hopes as to the accessibility of 
the capital to be warranted, that, upon his sending 
back the requisite statements, the appointment ot 
the missionary physician should be made, and the 
entire missionary staff required at the capital be thus 
completed. 

Now it is the duty of the churches of Christ to cul- 
tivate a holy spirit of enterprise, and a generous, trust- 
ing faith in the God whose promises were never 
small, and whose strength is not yet spent. But he 
is also a God of council, and would have his people 
walk wisely and in lowliness before him. Whilst he 
blesses the simple trust that is the best basis of mis- 
sions, he does not approve the kindled imagination 
and the glowing and self-reliant impulses that are 
often mistaken for simple faith, but which may be 
more truly entitled the romance of missions. Ava 
must have great influence ; and deserves from us 
great remembrance and greatest prayers. In the 
first preaching of his gospel, Christ bade the apostles 
begin at Jerusalem, the Ava of Judaism ; and Paul, 
Christ's great apostle to the uncircumcision, yearned 
through weary years to visit Rome, the metropolis 



216 Kincaid: 



of that Gentilisni which he especially sought to con- 
vert. To that Burinan race for whom your mission- 
aries have translated the Bible, and so long prayed 
and toiled — the imperial Avais both a Jerusalem and 
a Rome, — the seat of civil dominion and the proudest 
fastness of spiritual delusion and despotism. But as 
God in the early ages of the church soon scattered 
the apostles from Jerusalem ; and made some of the 
greatest triumphs over Gentilism to be won far a^vay 
from Rome ; so it may be in the labors of the nine- 
teenth century upon heathen Burmah. The capital 
having early repelled, may long and obstinately ex- 
clude what the nation is yet to receive at other points 
more vulnerable, and through channels which no des- 
potism can always guard and close. And while Faith 
is daring as against the world, she must be docile and 
submissive as before the Providence that wields the 
world and guides the church. 

Your committee have felt the solemnity, the spe- 
cial difficulties, and the vast responsibilities that clus- 
ter around a wise decision of the pending question. 
Apprehending in the expected larger expenditures 
of the coming year requisite for existing appoint- 
ments, a very heavy draught upon your treasury, they 
yet desire to extend, where God seems to beckon us 
to the work, the cords of the missionary enterprise. 
But if in stretching out these cords the churches do 
not actually lengthen them by enlarged zeal, con- 



The Hero Missionary. 217 

tributions and prayer, then the cord so extended at 
one spot will be only tightened at another, and per- 
haps with the result at this latter point to cripple, 
and it may be to strangle, other branches of our mis- 
sions where the station is less than the present, one 
of uncertain enterprise, and where the demands for 
help are loud, imperative and unquestionable. — 
Strongly as we may be attached to new enterprises 
of high adventure and large promise — and we are 
bound to them by every tie of Christian sympathy 
and pious hope — yet we must not forget that to the 
existing stations we are held not only by all those 
above-named ties, but by the added and stronger 
bonds of the explicit, solemn and repeated pledges 
we have given — pledges we can neither easily dis- 
charge nor innocently forget. 

Some of your committee have leaned, therefore, 
to the recommendation of the Executive Committee, 
that our brother Kincaid's experiment be first made ; 
and that the appointment of a physician be reserved 
as a contingency to depend on the success of the ex- 
periment at Ava. But to conciliate as far as possible 
the wishes of all, your committee have concluded to 
unite in recommending yet another modification. It 
is, that the Board now recommend to the Executive 
Committee, to appoint a missionary physician : but 
that, from a regard to the growing demand of the 

churches at home for preachers as laborers in the 

10 



218 Kincaid : 



missionary field, this appointment of a physician be 
with the explicit condition, that if the attempt to 
plant a station at Ava should be in Divine Providence 
frustrated, then such physician's relations to this 
Board cease. In suggesting this, the committee 
would expressly protest against any misconception. 
They have formed from concurrent testimony a high 
estimate of the worth of the brother, of his medical 
skill, and of his pious consecration. But they under- 
stand that he would be at no loss to secure, in the 
British colonial or consular establishments, an ap- 
pointment with higher remuneration than we can 
offer, and would not therefore incur pecuniary loss 
or wrong. On the other hand, our missions in the 
ceded provinces, apart from Burmah proper, do not, 
it is understood, require the increased burden of such 
medical laborer to be attached to the mission. 

Your committee make, with great distrust and 
after protracted and anxious discussion, the preceding 
suggestions as affording what seemed the most feasi- 
ble, harmonious and safe disposal of the question." 
Following the reading of this Report, it was — 
" Resolved, That the Board will sustain the Execu- 
tive Committee, in vigorous efforts to resume mis- 
sionary operations in Burmah proper, and will justify 
the Committee in the appointment of a medical 
helper, to accompany the Rev. Mr. Kincaid in his 
attempt to reenter that field, on such conditions as 



The Hero Missiona/iy. 219 



are suggested by the Report of the Committee of five 
on the part of this Board." 

These instructions the Executive Committee, at 
once, complied with, and in the following July Dr. 
Dawson with his family, together with Mr. Kincaid 
and his family, embarked at Boston, on board the 
Washington Allston, arriving at Maulmain early in 
the year 1851. Writing from this point, under date 
of February 21, Mr. Kincaid reported, in substance, 
that with respect to the prospect of planting a mis- 
sion in Burmah proper there seemed to be nothing 
which could be regarded as, on the whole, unfavora- 
ble. " There are difficulties," said he, " but they do 
not appear to be insurmountable." The reigning 
king who ascended the throne about three years pre- 
vious to their arrival, manifested but little interest 
in the affairs of the government, and his Prime Min- 
ister was reported to be a " peculiarly bigoted Bud- 
hist." On the other hand, all persecution on account 
of religion had ceased, and the Christian Karens re- 
siding within the jurisdiction of Burmese authority 
were permitted to enjoy a comfortable degree of se- 
curity and quietude. It was also rumored that there 
were, at that time, fifteen Burmese Christians at the 
capital, one of whom was an officer of the king, with 
a thousand men under his charge, and another con- 
nected with the king's household ; which seemed to 



220 Kincaid 



imply, if the king was acquainted with the facts, that 
he was not particularly hostile to Christianity. 

Leaving Maulmain, the missionaries proceeded by 
the earliest conveyance to Rangoon, and writing from 
thence under date of March 10th, Mr. Kincaid says : 

"After remaining eleven days in Maulmain, Dr. 
Dawson and I took passage . in a schooner of thirty- 
one tons, manned by Mussulmans, and on the morning 
of the 5th reached Rangoon, now little more than one 
wide ruin. The fire last December destroyed about 
three-fourths of the old city. Not only so, but a 
great number of boats and several ships were burned. 
Many hundreds of families barely escaped from their 
houses with their lives. Building is rapidly going on, 
and hence all sorts of material and all kinds of work- 
men are in demand. 

It being exceedingly doubtful about our being able 
to procure a house, we left our families in Br. Simons's 
house and came on to see what arrangements could 
be made. One street called Ko-la-don, that is, For- 
eigners' Street, was saved entirely from the fire. The 
buildings are owned and occupied by Armenians, 
Mussulmans, and Hindoos. We called at once at the 
house in which I had lived nineteen years ago, owned 
by a Hindoo. The old man is dead, but his son re- 
ceived me with great cordiality, and gave us a room 
to occupy while in the city. When we first landed, 
we showed ourselves at the custom house and got our 



The Hero Missionary, 221 

baggage passed. A few hours after, we were sent 
for and questioned relative to our business ; where 
we came from ; the name of the ship ; the name of 
the captain ; what places we stopped at, if any ; how 
many days we were in reaching Africa ; how many 
days we remained there ; how long in reaching Maul- 
main ; how many days we remained there ; how many 
languages we understood ; and many other questions 
of a similar character ; — and all was written down 
with great minuteness. The next day we were sent 
r or again, and questioned relative to our object in 
coming into Burmah, and if we were ' Jesus Christ's 
men ;' all of which was written down, and then read 
to us, and the inquiry put if it was written correctly. 
On Saturday we were sent for again, and questioned 
relative to Dr. Dawson's knowledge of medicine, and 
how many kinds of diseases he could cure. Upon 
this, Dr. D. brought a volume on Surgery, full of illus- 
trative plates j this the officers examined with care, 
and another record was made. 

On Sabbath morning the viceroy sent for me. I 
told the secretary to inform his Excellency that this 
was a sacred day and I could not attend to any worldly ■ 
business. This, it seems, was satisfactory, but Lord's 
day evening, between 9 and 10 o'clock, the secretary 
came and said I would be called early in the morning, 
and was to be questioned in reference to my former 
residence in Ava. He manifested no small degree of 



222 Kincaid 



anxiety, thinking they were contriving a plan to get 
me into difficulty. He is a tine young man, and ap- 
pears to be a true friend, but he is very timid. Not 
long since, however, an English merchant was impris- 
oned and his feet put in the stocks, because his fath- 
er had, as they alleged, written a letter against the 
government in one of the Calcutta papers. It cost 
him between five and six hundred rupees to get out 
of prison. Several foreigners have been imprisoned 
during the last six months on the most frivolous pre- 
tences, and money extorted from them. 

Early this morning, I was called to the custom 
house and questioned in reference to the year I first 
came to Burmah, how long I lived in Rangoon, and 
how long in Ava, and other points of a similar char- 
acter ; and my answers were all written down. One 
could almost fancy himself before a set of inquisitors. 
One of the officers afterwards came and apologized ; 
he said it was the order of the viceroy, or governor, 
and his authority was supreme. I replied that we had 
no objection to answer any questions the government 
was disposed to ask. All the officers whom I had 
formerly known, treated us with civility. The vice- 
roy is a new man, as are also all the high officers of 
the empire. The temper and policy of the govern- 
ment have changed amazingly since the revolution in 
1837. When I have had more experience I will write 
more definitely. 



The Hero Missionary. 223 

Ko Thali A, the venerable old pastor, has called on 
us two or three times ; also two other members of the 
church. The news of our arrival spread rapidly over 
the city and into the neighboring villages, and many 
with whom I had formerly been acquainted called, — 
among them two young men who had been educated 
in Mrs. Kincaid's school at Ava. Armenians, Mo- 
hammedans, and Hindoos have visited us. A Jew 
from Bagdad has spent two evenings with us, listen- 
ing to our account of the Messiah. * * * 

I have as yet obtained no information about the 
church in Ava. There cannot be many members 
there ; some have died, and I find eight of the Ava 
disciples now members of the churches in Amherst 
and Maulmain ; one is in Arracan." 






224 Kincaid : 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

KESUMING LAB0E8. 

11 What man is he that feareth the Lord ? him shall he teach in the way 
that he shall choose." — Ps. xxv. 12. 

•' Then on ! — his joys cannot be dim, 

Who, trusting, goes to seek the lost : 
there are coronals for him, 

Who toils for Christ, nor shuns the cost." 

The special object of Mr. Kincaid's visit to Ran- 
goon was to ascertain whether it was possible to se- 
cure a house there for the accommodation of his 
family. And having succeeded in his design, he re- 
turned at once to Maulmain. Soon after this, reports 
reached him and were extensively circulated through 
the city, that the Governor of Rangoon had proceed- 
ed with great severity against several persons who 
had shown him special favor during his brief stay 
there. These reports were generally regarded as 
true, and soon they were confirmed by letters from 
two English gentlemen. The young Hindoo who had 
given him a room in his house, had been thrown into 
prison and compelled to pay a fine of two hundred 



The Hero Missionary, 225 

rupees. A writer had also been fined one hundred 
rupees ; while an interpreter, Moung Poh G-yau, had 
his life threatened for daring to speak in his favor 
after he had left. 

Under these circumstances, various opinions were 
entertained about the propriety of going to Rangoon 
in the face of such hostile measures. 

To Mr. Kincaid's mind, however, this opposition 
did not appear sufficiently serious to interfere, in the 
least, with his plans ; and, accordingly, he hastened 
his preparations to leave, and having engaged a 
schooner, they sailed on the 12th of April, and on the 
morning of the 16th were at anchor before the great 
wharf. The consternation consequent upon the arri- 
val of the missionaries at Rangoon, and the difficulties 
that there immediately beset them, are thus related 
by Mr. Kincaid in his journal : — 

"It was thought extremely doubtful," says he, 

" about our being allowed to land. On learning this 

I was anxious to get all on shore before there could 

be time to issue an order prohibiting our landing. I 

hastened back to the vessel, and in a short time both 

families were in the house of Captain Potter. We 

returned as soon as possible, sent our beds, chairs, 

and a few boxes of clothes to the custom house, but it 

was near evening before they were passed. Coolies 

wore sent off with them to the house of Joe Alley, 

which we had rented before leaving Rangoon. When 

10* 



226 Kincaid : 



the old man saw the coolies loaded with baggage rush- 
ing into his compound, he and several servants raised 
a cry of alarm and forbade a single article being put 
into the house. I came just in time to prevent the 
coolies and baggage being thrust into the street. I 
remonstrated, told him that he could not break his 
promise, that it was now nearly dark, and that our 
ladies and children could not remain in the street. 
The poor old Mussulman stroked his long white beard 
and trembled like an aspen leaf. He was so agitated 
that he talked half Burmese and half Hindoostani, and 
kept saying, over and over, ' I am afraid, — I am afraid 
of the Governor, — Moung Kinge has been imprisoned 
and fined two hundred rupees, a writer has been fined 
one hundred rupees, and Moung Poh Gyau has had 
his life threatened and has gone mad, — and all on 
your account, — I am afraid, sahib." His looks, his 
actions, his voice, all told how dreadfully frightened 
the old man was. I told the coolies to put the things 
down and bring the remainder. The poor old man 
took hold of me in the most imploring manner, and 
begged me to have compassion on his grey beard. I 
told him I would stand between him and all harm. I 
was now here and the governor would harm no one 
on my account. At length he gave a sort of consent 
to let us sleep one night in his house. Long after 
dark we had all assembled in the house and spread 
our mats on the floor. 



The Hero Missionary. 227 



Early on the morning of the 17th I went with Dr. 
Dawson on board the schooner, and began sending 
our boxes of books, medicine and furniture on shore, 
fearing, from all we heard, that an order might come 
prohibiting the landing of the baggage. We were 
delayed about boats and coolies, so that our baggage 
did not reach the custom house till five o'clock, and 
but little of it was passed. Joe Alley was more 
frightened than ever ; he sent his son in the evening 
with two bottles of rose-water, and told the governor 
that we had come into his house and he wished to 
get rid of us. The governor replied that he must 
send us off. 

Early on Friday morning, the 18th, the governor 
came to the custom house with a large retinue, and 
we were summoned before him. There was a dense 
crowd, for his stern, oppressive course against every 
one who had rendered us any little service, had 
awakened the greatest interest to know how he 
would proceed now that we had come back with our 
families and baggage. Besides Burmans there was 
a large number of foreigners, — Mohammedans, Ar- 
menians, and the few English in the place. Without 
ceremony the governor began, in a loud, harsh tone, 
to question me about coming to Burmah. ' What 
have you come here for ? Who invited you ? Your 
object is to overturn the king's religion. You have 
been driven out of Burmah before. Who gave you 



228 Kincaid 



permission to come here ?' He went on in this style 
for several minutes. 

As soon as he gave me a chance to speak I replied : 
■ Your excellency must be aware that when I lived 
in Ava I was on the most intimate terms with nearly 
all the officers of the government, and was treated 
with the utmost kindness by the Mekara prince and 
prince Thur-ra-wa-di. "When I left Ava the king 
urged me to remain, or if I left, to return as soon as 
I could and bring a printing press and a* physician. 
I promised to do so, and have now returned as the 
king directed. So far from being driven Out of Bur- 
mah, the king urged me not to go away. 7 

His manner was at once changed. He began to 
expatiate on the beauties of Budhism, and said that 
my object was to overthrow it. After a good deal 
of this sort of thing, he said, * You can remain here, 
but you must keep in the house and do nothing till I 
get word from Ava.' He then called a man who 
speaks Hindoostani as well as Burmese and under- 
stands a little English, and said, ' You must not enter 
a single house, or go abroad any where, without hav- 
ing this man with you.* I was told by several per- 
sons, not an hour after, that this man was one of the 
worst* spies about the court, detested by all foreign- 
ers. Things looked dark, much worse than I had an- 
ticipated. As I had been requested to attend a fune- 



The Hera Missionary. 229 

ral and conduct the services, I went away to put my- 
self in readiness. 

After we left, the governor expressed himself 
rudely and violently against me. He was much 
pleased to have Dr. Dawson remain, but before the 
whole crowd of people, foreigners and all, he said he 
would not mind putting me in irons. This threat ran 
like fire over the city. In a short time it reached 
me, and I do not know when I have felt such a rush 
of indignation'. If he had said it to my face it would 
have been manly, but it was coward-like to stab me 
in my back. My first impulse was to go and tell him 
to his face how much contempt I felt for cowards and 
unprincipled tyrants. Then the funeral, with all its 
solemn lessons was before me, and the thought of the 
resurrection of the just and the unjust calmed my 
spirit. My second thought was to pass his cowardly 
threat in silence. 

Poor old Joe Alley heard the news and was thrown 
into a paroxysm of fear. His beard seemed to become 
whiter, and he looked as pale as death. All he could 
say was, ' Go ! go ! go V so piteously that I could not 
withstand him. So, promising to get a place for our 
baggage, and to bring no more to his house, I started 
off at once. Of course I paid no attention to the gov- 
ernor's order to take his interpreter with me. It was, 
in fact, making me a prisoner, and I would recognize 
no such relation. 



230 Kincaid 



From an early hour a highly respectable Moham- 
medan had been aiding us in every way he could. 
The governor noticed this in the afternoon and or- 
dered him to be beaten. Instantly some three or four 
fellows pounced upon him, beat him in a savage man- 
ner, and kicked him out of the compound, — two hun- 
dred people looking on. 

I went to five or six places to procure store room, 
as our baggage was being rapidly overhauled and 
tumbled unceremoniously out of the custom house. 
On Saturday it was all passed and stowed in Captain 
Potter's godown. During the day a number of re- 
spectable persons, Burmans and foreigners, urged us 
to go to the governor and ' speak sweet words to him/ 
but I resolved to seek no interview. On Monday, 
however, at the urgent request of many, we concluded 
to go, and started off, but learned on the way that the 
governor was in a terrible passion, and had that morn- 
ing beaten a Mussulman terribly. At 5 o'clock, P. M., 
we set off again, but being informed that about an 
hour before the same man was beaten again so dread- 
fully that he was carried off to die, as all supposed, 
we postponed our visit. The next morning we 
started off again, and again turned back, having 
learned that the governor, that very morning, had had 
a serious quarrel with his principal wife. A report 
was current in the city on Monday evening and 
through the following day, that the governor had 



The Hero Missionary, 231 

publicly threatened my life. I did not then, and do 
not now, believe there was sufficient ground for such 
a report. But, true or not true, I was fully satisfied 
tnat he was too cowardly to commit such an outrage, 
and would have cared little about it had it not reached 
my family. 

We now relinquished altogether the idea of going 
to him, but about 7 in the evening word came from 
the governor requesting us to call. We resolved at 
once to go, though it was very dark and nearly two 
miles off. We found him in an inner apartment with 
two or three officers and a few servants. He treated 
us courteously and showed us several swords made by 
a Burman. He wished us to praise them, and really 
the workmanship was praiseworthy. He made many 
inquiries about my former acquaintance in Ava. 
After a little time we got into an animated conversa- 
tion about men and things in the Golden City. I 
told him it was my intention to go up to Ava after 
the rains, to which he made no reply. We remained 
about an hour. When we were about leaving he said, 
1 1 shall write to the king and make strong represen- 
tations in your favor ; but there is one thing you must 
promise, that is, to give no tracts to the people. ' I 
did not ask him for permission to remain, I did not 
ask him to write to the king ; still, I thanked him for 
his offer to write. 

We had that very day rented the house formerly 



232 Eincaid 



occupied by Col. Burney, now owned by Moung Sa, 
an aged Woon-gee in Ava. Without our knowledge 
the agent came in to obtain the governor's sanction, 
which was given promptly. Then turning to us he 
said, ' That is a very suitable house for you.' All 
passed off very well. After spending a week of ex- 
treme anxiety the storm seemed to have spent itself, 
****** 

On the 3d of May a Sera-dau-gyee came, by order 
of the governor, to inform us that a royal message 
had that day arrived, that the king had heard with 
pleasure of the American teachers who formerly 
lived in Ava ; he expressed a wish that they would 
be disposed to remain in Burmah, and that they 
might enjoy every possible favor. The Royal Secre- 
tary was attended by a large retinue, and he seemed 
much gratified that he was the bearer of such news. 

The large hall in our house having been put in or- 
der, I preached in English and in Burmese the first 
Lord's day in May, and had about thirty hearers. 
The second Lord's day had about forty hearers ; 
among them were three Karens residing about two 
days' journey from Rangoon. One of them has been 
two years in Br. Binney's school, and is an intelligent 
young man. He is the pastor of a church in the vil- 
lage where he lives. He inquired earnestly and affec- 
tionately after Br. Binney and Br. Yinton. In the 
evening we had a prayer meeting,— -four prayers in 



The Hero Missionary. 233 

Burmese, one in Karen and one in English, also sing- 
ing in the three languages. * * * * 

Poor Moung Kinge died three days ago, and on 
the following day was followed to the grave by a 
large number of people. He was much respected by 
the entire community. This is the second man mur- 
dered by the governor since we came to Rangoon. 
One was whipped to death, and Moung Kinge was 
frightened to death. Since the day he was imprison- 
ed, his life menaced, and the threat ferociously made 
that his wife and children should be made slaves and 
sent in chains to Ava, Moung Kinge has been sinking 
to an untimely grave. He had no fortitude, and the 
shock was too great. The bitter tears of his widow 
and children awaken in me emotions of unutterable 
detestation toward the brutal tyrant who has been 
the cause of so much suffering. Moung Kinge was 
guilty of giving Dr. Dawson and myself the use of a 
room seven or eight days ; for this he has been 
frightened to death. Moung Poh Gyau has only 
just survived the savage treatment he received. 
Gladly would I have been in the place of those young 
men, and suffered all the indignities and oruel threats 
of the governor. 

Ko A, the venerable old pastor, calls occasionally. 
He is in good health, but feeble with age. The mem- 
bers of the church are scattered in different villages, 
except a few superannuated members. Ko A is too 



234 Kincaid 



feeble to labor. As yet I can write nothing very 
definitely with reference to the Karens in this and 
the neighboring province of Bassein. The greater 
number of the Karen churches are from forty to one 
hundred miles distant. 

Thus I have given you a brief outline of events 
since we landed in this city one month ago. You 
will perceive that a great change has taken place 
toward us on the part of the government, much to 
the astonishment of all, Burmans and foreigners. We 
may meet with opposition, we may expect it, but 
still, with the Divine blessing, nothing is too great 
to be overcome. I preach just as openly as I ever 
did in any land. So far, we feel encouraged to hope 
that the Lord has heard our prayers, and the prayers 
of his people, in behalf of these millions. Pray for 
as that we may be wise in winning souls to Christ." 



The Hero Missionary, 235 



CHAPTER XIX. 

HAYING FAVOE WITH ALL THE PEOPLE. 

" "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at 
peace with him." — Prov. xvi. 7. 

* * * " Seeking this 

Alone — the approbation of his God, 

Which still with conscience witnessed to his peace." 

In addition to the order from Ava which reached 
Rangoon on the third of May, and to which reference 
has been made in the preceding chapter, the gover- 
nor subsequently received another communication 
from the king, and Mr. Kincaid was immediately 
summoned by the viceroy to listen to the reading of 
the royal letter. When he presented himself before 
him there was a full court assembled, and all business 
was at once suspended, while a secretary, by the 
governor's direction, read the paper aloud. The 
substance of the document was that, " the American 
teachers should be allowed, if they wished, and at 
any time that they might choose, to come up to the 
golden feet ; or, if they preferred remaining in Ran- 
goon, they were not to be molested." 



236 Kincaid : 



After the reading of this royal order, the mission- 
aries at once commanded universal respect. " You 
can hardly fancy," says Mr. Kincaid, " the altered 
tone of the officers and people towards us. Before 
these orders came down they were proud, haughty, 
and insolent. Even the coolies in the street would 
take pains to jostle us, and the underlings in office 
were insolent in the extreme. Nothing of this now. 
This order from Ava was unsolicited and unexpected. 
We cannot regard it in any other light than as a spe- 
cial indication of Divine providence to go forward in 
our work. 

Our object in coming to this country," writes Mr. 
Kincaid, " is well understood. The governor him- 
self said, last April, that he had formerly known me 
in Ava, and that I was laboring to overturn the king's 
religion. On the first of July, when we went to the 
governor's, we found some twenty-five or thirty offi- 
cers and servants sitting in the. audience hall. They 
began conversing among themselves on the subject 
of our mission, the character of our books, and the 
peculiarities of our religion ; and, certainly, they 
said much that was very true. After this they be- 
gan to ask questions, and one was, if we were not 
' Jesus Christ's men.' ' We are,' I said, ' and now I 
will give you the reason ;' and I went on for some 
twenty-five minutes giving them an outline of the 
Christian religion, no one interposing. 



The Hero Missionary. 237 

On the 29th of July we received a message from 
the governor, which gave lis no little solicitude. 
Very early in the morning, one of the government 
interpreters came and said the governor expected to 
see us. What/ I inquired, ■ does the governor 
want V l He says, sir, that he has been very kind 
to you, in sending up a petition to the king, and at 
great expense in bringing the royal order from Ava, 
and you do not visit him nor say anything about the 
expense of getting down the order. ' ' Indeed/ I said, 
* this is strange. If the governor sent a petition to 
the king he did it without our request ; and who sup- 
poses it has cost anything to bring the order from 
Ava ? It is an outrage to speak of expense, and you 
may tell the governor so.' ' No, sir, I would not dare 
to speak such words, for he is the governor, and you 
had better come and see him.' ■ Yery well ; we will 
see him, but not to-day/ 

Every one supposed that a demand would be made 
for some two or three hundred rupees — this would 
be treating us as he treats other foreigners. ' What 
will you do ?' was the inquiry of every one. ' Eefuse 
to pay any such demand.' l But he has power to 
compel you.' ' He has power to send us -out of the 
country, but he has not power enough to compel us 
to submit tamely to extortion and oppression/ We 
remained quietly at our work till the 31st, thinking 
it not best to be in haste to see him. Many persons 



238 Kincaid : 



who are very friendly, urged that we should go with 
% present worth thirty or forty rupees, tell him that 
>ve were afraid and that we were poor, and so throw 
ourselves upon his clemency. To this I replied that 
neither was true. We were not afraid, neither were 
we so poor as to beg. If the governor had any just 
claim we would pay him, but would never tamely 
submit to extortion and tyranny. For in submitting 
to one act of tyranny we were only inviting outrage 
and oppression. 

We took along with us a small present worth about 
eight rupees. We were received in a bland and 
gentlemanly manner. The governor made several 
inquiries, and among others when we intended going 
to Ava ; to which I replied, ' As soon as the rainy 
season is over.' ' You are right/ he said, ' it is difi- 
cult and dangerous to go up during the rains. When 
you are ready to go, I shall furnish you with the ex 
pense of the journey.' None who saw and heard 
him on this occasion, could fancy him the governor 
we had to deal with last April." 

While disposed to be somewhat conciliatory in his 
personal relations, he seemed anxious also to convey 
an impression that his views were, to a degree 
changed respecting Christianity ; and speaking tc 
Mr. Kincaid one day on this subject, in the presence 
of the court, he said : — 

" One thing about your religion I do not like ; it aims 



The Hero Missionary. 239 

like ; it aims to destroy every other, and this is un- 
charitable. They allowed our religion to be good, 
but we would not allow theirs to be good ;" this was 
his great objection. To this Mr. Kincaid replied, 

" That the whole design of Christianity was to 
bring the race of man to love God supremely, and to 
love others as themselves, and that this doctrine does 
certainly make men wise and good and happy." 

" You are getting all the people over to your side, 
said the governor, " for you make them think well of 
yourselves, and of your doctrine." 

One of the highest in rank among his officers said, 
" These teachers have all sorts of books ; and then 
they have maps of all the countries in the world, and 
globes that represent the earth as round as an orange, 
and that it turns round every day, and that the sun 
stands still. Does not this go to destroy Gaudama's 
religion ?" 

" True," said the governor ; " this makes our reli- 
gion false." 

" "Whether the sun goes round the earth," Mr. Kin- 
caid replied, " or the earth round the sun, is a ques- 
tion that belongs to science and not to religion." 

Everything, now, seemed to favor Mr. Kincaid in 
his work, and, full of faith, we find him engaging, at 
once, in active efforts not simply for the evangeliza- 
tion of Rangoon, but for the spread of the gospel 
through the whole length and breadth of the empire. 



240 Kincaid : 



The scattered members of the Burman church now 
began to gather round him — numerous cases of in- 
quiry began to appear — representatives of churches 
from distant towns came in to express their congratu- 
ations, others called to solicit books, and on every 
hand, he was permitted to see the most cheering 
tokens of the Divine favor. 

Having sent off two of the native brethren to visit 
the Karen churches east of Rangoon, and also to the 
north and northwest, they zealously fulfilled their 
missions, and returning brought the most cheering 
intelligence of what they had been permitted to hear 
and witness of the grace of God. 

Among other matters of interest, they reported 
that in every Christian household they found them 
maintaining family worship morning and evening, 
and on each Lord's day they met four times for pub- 
lic service. 

The news of Mr. Kincaid's arrival in Rangoon, they 
found had preceded them, and hearing of his rough 
treatment by the authorities, prayer was made inces- 
santly for him that he might not be driven from the 
country. In one village they spent a Lord's day 
with a church numbering over four hundred members, 
and when they met with these brethren and read to 
them the letters containing assurances of being affec- 
tionately and constantly remembered in the prayers 
of the teachers, all were affected to tears, and many 



The Hero Missionary. 241 

wept aloud for joy. From the pastor of this church 
they bore to Mr. Kincaid the following simple and 
touching letter : — 

" May the grace and fellowship of the Father, Son 
and Holy Spirit be with you, with my love, and the 
love of all the sons and daughters of God in this 
church. I am one of the least of all the disciples, and 
know but little of the divine word. Divine grace 
has made me a teacher of the gospel, and by the 
sacred imposition of hands I am made a pastor. 
Daily I study the Bible, and pray for a larger measure 
of the Holy Spirit, so as to teach and guide this flock 
of little ones. I have but little knowledge and can 
teach only what I know. I, the pastor, and all the 
church rejoiced greatly when we heard that you had 
come into this Burman kingdom, and cease not to 
pray for you. Our Father who is in heaven will 
hear our prayers. We all desire greatly to see you, 
and to hear more fully the deep things of God, that 
we may grow and be established in every virtue." 

The ardent love of the Karens for the gospel was 
never more strikingly illustrated than in the efforts 
and sacrifices which many made, about this time, to 
possess portions of the word of God. Some came 
from a great distance, through districts infested with 
robbers and amidst almost incessant storms. Among 
these, Mr. Kincaid makes special mention of two 
Christian boys from the province of Pautanau, one 



242 Kincaid : 



hundred and thirty miles distant. They had been 
sent by the church with a letter requesting ten New 
Testaments, a copy of Pilgrim's Progress, seven tracts, 
and two hymn-books. The books were carefully roll- 
ed up and put in the bottom of a basket, and then 
the basket filled with rice and dried fish. This done, 
they gave the parting hand, and in a tremulous voice 
said — " Pray for us that we may be delivered from 
the calamity of falling into the hands of officers with 
these books." 

Toward the close of this year, cases of inquiry be- 
gan to multiply, and a number of hopeful converts 
soon presented themselves for the ordinance of bap- 
tism. One of these, in relating the exercises of his 
mind, said that about three months previous, his 
heart had been very much perplexed through a 
dream ; he imagined himself going toward Shway 
Dagong, and when not far off, it crumbled down into 
a mass of ruins. He woke up in great distress, feel- 
ing that all his life long he had been rendering the 
homage, due only to God, to that senseless mass of 
ruins. He betook himself to prayer and the reading 
of the New Testament. The light of truth shined in 
upon his soul and he found peace in believing. 

" Our baptism," says Mr. Kincaid, " took place be- 
tween three and four in the afternoon, in the royal 
tank, a beautiful, clear sheet of water, nearly four 
miles in circumference. Tt has several finely wooded 



The Hero 31issionary. 243 

islands, and is surrounded on three sides by groves 
having a park-like appearance. Under the deep, 
dark foliage of a clump of aged trees, on a green bank 
sloping down to the water's edge, with the glittering 
spires of a hundred pagodas before us, we kneeled in 
prayer to Him who said, ' Lo, I am with you.' I 
cannot express to you our feelings when these re- 
deemed ones, four Burmans and five Karens, went 
down into the baptismal grave, rendering homage to 
Him who is ' the resurrection and the life.' 

We have a number of very earnest inquirers. 
Three of them, we think, have received the word of 
God into their hearts. There are, besides, a large 
number who no longer attempt any defence, but lis- 
ten and are thoughtful. Just now, while I write, 
three men from Dalla are sitting by me in conversa- 
tion on the character of Christ's religion. I have 
been reading and explaining 'to them for an hour. 
They are saying, { Gaudama cannot stand, and what 
is the use ? We are a poor, ignorant people, after 
having Gaudama's religion a thousand years.' An 
intelligent young priest, who has visited us repeated- 
ly during the last three months, and has borrowed 
books of us, said the other day, that he was disgust- 
ed with the yellow robe and must throw it away. 
The fields are white for the harvest on every side of 
us. There is no serious opposition. People of all 
ranks and ages come to us. A few days since, an 



244 Kincaid : 



officer of high rank, with his lady and some twenty- 
five or thirty attendants, spent the evening with us, 
and gave us a very urgent invitation to visit them." 



'Tis now the time of strife and war, 
The contest sounds on every side ; 

Nations are bound to Satan's car, 

And who shall meet him in his pride 1 

Is there no arm his power to break 1 
Are there no hearts that deeply feel ? 

Sons of the kingdom ! rise, awake ! 
Obey at length your Saviour's will. 

Hark ! 'tis the trumpet's warning cry ! 

Lo, o'er the earth the banners wave ; 
The Lord of glory comes from high, 

To rule, to conquer and to sare. 



Tlie Hero Missionary, 245 



CHAPTER XX. 

LABORS INTERRUPTED BY WAR. 

{ ' In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion : in the secret of hia 
tabernacle shall he hide me ; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall 
mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me : therefore will I 
offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy ; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto 
the Lord."— Ps. xxvii. 5, 6. 

" Labor ! "Wait ! though midnight shadows 

Gather round thee here, 
And a storm above thee lowering 

Fill thy heart with fear — 
Wait in hope ! the morning dawneth 

When the night is gone, 
And a peaceful rest awaits thee, 

When thy work is done." 

During a residence of more than six months in 
Rangoon, Mr. Kincaid was cheered by scenes and in- 
cidents of extraordinary interest ; but in the midst 
of these encouragements, and when he had nearly 
completed his preparations for proceeding to the cap- 
ital in pursuance of his original purpose and under 
favor of the royal invitation, a new aspect was put on 
the posture of things by the arrival of war steamers 



246 Kincaid : 



at Rangoon, demanding on behalf of the East India 
Government redress of grievances. For a long time, 
^British subjects had suffered from the Burman Gov- 
ernment the greatest injustice. Without cause, they 
had often been fined and imprisoned, and, such was 
the terror under which they were living, that they 
were compelled to endure these wrongs in silence, 
knowing that the slightest whisper of dissatisfaction 
would only be visited by ten-fold greater outrages, 
and even with cruel tortures and death. At length 
tidings of the doings of the government towards Bri- 
tish subjects reached the ear of Commodore Lambert, 
and, after taking the necessary steps to satisfy him- 
self of the truth of these reports, he came to demand 
redress of the Burmese authorities. 

On the evening of the 24th of November, 1851, a 
frigate and four armed steamers came before the city 
and immediately every thing was thrown into the ut- 
most state of alarm. The governor threatened to set 
the city on fire, and in every house the foreigners 
were at work securing their papers and property. 
Great gongs were beating in every direction. A re- 
port was current that all who wore hats (Europeans) 
would be seized and carried off as hostages. Near 
midnight Mr. Kincaid was sent to go to the gover- 
nor's, nearly two miles distant. Without hesitation 
he set off, but was met by messengers countermand- 
ing the ordei 



The Hero Missionary. 247 



On the following morning the governor with a large 
guard appeared on the wharf, and there issued an or- 
der that any person, foreigner or native, who should 
come down to any of the wharves, or appear on the 
bank of the river, should be instantly beheaded. 
This order was published through the city by beat of 
gong and public crier. On hearing this Mr. Kincaid 
went immediately to the main wharf, where there 
were several distinguished officers and a guard, and 
remonstrated with them in strong terms on the insane 
course they were pursuing, — working themselves and 
the people into a panic, when there was all possible 
evidence that the ships were come on a peaceful mis- 
sion, — to prevent, not to make war. They felt it, but 
were disposed to be blind to the innumerable acts of 
injustice and cruelty inflicted on all classes of people. 

Com. Lambert having sent a deputation of four offi- 
cers with a communication to the viceroy, he imme- 
diately called for Mr. Kincaid, and in the presence of 
some fifty of his great chiefs, he desired to know from 
him whether the translation of the commodore's let- 
ter was correct. After carefully reading both he was 
assured that it had been faithfully rendered. 

" What does it mean ?" said the governor. " I am 
accused of being a bad man, committing outrages on 
her Britannic Majesty's subjects, and yet the letter 
does not specify in what way I have done this. Tell 
me what I should do." 



248 Kincaid 



" 1 am not competent," said Mr. Kincaid, " to advise 
in these matters." 

" Do not tell me so," lie said ; " you have more 
books and maps than all the other people in the city, 
and you know what the English want and what I can 
do." 

To get rid of his importunity Mr. Kincaid said, — 
" You can write to the commodore and ask for an ex- 
planation." This struck him favorably. Then he in- 
quired whether the English had come for peace or 
war. 

"For peace, undoubtedly," Mr. Kincaid replied. 
"If they had come for war, instead of three ships they 
would have had twenty-five or thirty." 

" After a few days," says Mr. Kincaid in his jour- 
nal, " the governor recovered in some measure from 
the panic into which he was thrown, and commenced 
hostile preparations, buying up all the muskets in the 
city, collecting guns from all the neighboring cities 
and fortifying the heights of Shway JDagong, and 
building stockades at Kee-men-ding, four miles above 
the city. He has collected from the surrounding vil- 
lages about ten thousand men, and has invited to his 
aid a celebrated robber chief with all his followers, 
thus getting together all the desperate characters in 
the lower provinces. As yet we had felt safe in the 
old city, as the majority of the inhabitants are for- 
eigners, but on the 4th and 5th of December orders 



The Hero Missionary. 249 



were issued, it was reported, to attack the foreigners, 
plunder them, cut their throats, and burn the city. 
Bodies of armed men and of desperate character were' 
constantly parading the streets. Foreigners were all 
armed and keeping ceaseless watch in their houses. 
Com. Lambert very kindly gave me an invitation to 
place the ladies and children on board of one of his 
vessels, and the stern cabins of the steamer ' Tenas- 
serim' were prepared for them ; but Capt. Barker, ot 
the ' Duchess of Argyle/ a large merchant ship, invi- 
ted us to take refuge on his vessel, which seemed pre- 
ferable, as the ships of war were threatened with an 
attack by fire-rafts. On the evening of the 5th we 
took Mrs. Kincaid and Mrs. Dawson, with the little 
children, to a private wharf, where a boat was ready 
to take them on board the ' Duchess/ The next day 
the young ladies went on board. Dr. Dawson and 
myself remained on shore most of the time. We 
packed up our books and the most valuable part of 
our baggage, and placed them in fire-proof godowns 
belonging to Mr. Birrell. The ladies and children 
were now safe and there was little danger to our pro- 
perty from fire, but it was necessary to keep a con- 
stant watch, especially by night, as the governor 
threatened to let loose the robbers, now about 500 
strong. He had openly and repeatedly declared his 
intention of taking the lives of eight persons whom 

lie named, among whom I was included. We regard- 

11* 



- 



250 Kincaid : 



ed his threats as the ravings of a madman ; still I kept 
away from the new city, for I knew if he should mus- 
ter courage to commence hostilities he would be 

anxious to have me for a translator and interpreter. 
# * # * ■* * 

A little after dark on the 10th of December, as I 
was passing along one of the principal streets, I was 
suddenly seized by some eight or nine Burmans, who 
partly carried, partly dragged me into a dark, narrow 
lane. There I was surrounded by forty or fifty armed 
men. A long and not very pleasant altercation fol- 
lowed, — they threatening me, and I in turn threaten- 
ing them ; they insisting on taking me to the gov- 
ernor, and I insisting on going to the custom house. 
At length I got to the custom house — I hardly know 
how. A bundle of clothes from the washerman, 
which a Burman carried after me, was the excuse for 
this outrage. The custom house officers interfered, 
and after a long dispute these guards went to the 
governor for an order to take me out. It was nearly 
two miles to the governor's, and while they were gone 
the custom house officers hurried me off on board 
ship. 

This, it seems, annoyed his excellency, for the next 
afternoon he sent an officer to the commodore, com- 
plaining that I had taken my family on board ship 
without his permission, and so had broken the laws 
of Burmah. Com. Lambert replied that that law 



The Hero Missionary. 251 

might hold in reference to Burman subjects, but not 
in reference to British subjects or persons claiming 
British protection. He drew up a letter and sent it 
to the governor by one of his officers and Mr. Edwards, 
his translator, in which he stated, that the amity ex- 
isting between the government of the United States 
and her Britannic Majesty rendered it imperative on 
his part to demand of his excellency the punishment 
of those men who had seized and maltreated me the 
evening before in the streets of Rangoon. The gov- 
ernor expressed much regret at what had taken place, 
and said the men should be punished if I would point 
them out. Of course this was impossible, for the men 
were withdrawn from the old city. 

On the 12th I went on shore again. I have learned 
that two Portuguese, the tools of a Jesuit, have made 
the governor believe that I am at the bottom of the 
English expedition. This is the secret of his hostili- 
ty to me. Within a few days the governor of Dalla 
has received orders from Ava to place his troops at 
the disposal of the Viceroy of Rangoon. . According- 
ly, fifteen hundred men crossed the river early on 
the morning of the 19th, uttering the most savage 
yells. Yesterday one thousand men arrived from 
Prome. After all, the only men the governor can 
depend on are the robbers. The peasantry, that 
make up four-fifths of his army, will throw away their 
muskets and run at the firing of the first gun. The 



252 Eincaid 



officers threaten the Karen Christians that they will 
place them ' in the fore front of the battle 7 if the 
English come on shore. Three hundred of the dis- 
ciples are now on duty at the great pagoda. The 
churches are sending messengers to us almost daily 
to inquire how things are and to let us know their 
situation. Few of them sleep in their houses for fear 
of robbers. Our hearts bleed for them. We can 
only say to them, Look up to Him who took care of 
Elijah in the desert. The Burman peasantry, hea- 
then as well as Christian, are also sending messen- 
gers to us, expressing the hope that the English will 
put an end to the brutal tyranny under which they 
have so long suffered. Among our more than ten 
thousand disciples, besides hundreds who are 'almost 
Christians/ there is earnest prayer to Him who 
ruleth over all. 

It is a merciful Providence that we had not left for 
Ava. We had procured one boat and were just set- 
tling the price of another, when the war ships arrived. 
The Lord hath ordered all things well." 

All efforts to bring the Burmese authorities to terms 
having failed, hostilities ensued, and the mission 
families, in imminent peril, were compelled to hasten 
their escape from the city. " We had only one 
hour," says Mr. Kincaid, " to abandon our house and 
take refuge on ship-board. With hardly a change of 
clothes, we fled. One hour more, and we would have 



The Hero Missionary. 253 

Deen prisoners. Many foreigners did not escape, and 
they were loaded with irons and crowded in a loath- 
some prison. Some died under their sufferings, and 
the others were repeatedly ordered out for execution 
and then remanded to prison." 

As it was impossible to calculate how long these 
hostilities would continue, the missionaries deemed 
it prudent to seek a refuge in Maulmain. After re- 
maining there about three months, however, Mr. Kin- 
caid, leaving his family behind him, determined to 
return to Rangoon. The very day after his arrival 
the war was virtually terminated by the destruction 
of the great fortress which had been defended by 
30,000 Burmans with over two hundred mo tinted guns. 
" From seven o'clock in the morning till evening of 
that day," says Mr. Kincaid, " I spent in the field- 
hospital among the wounded and the dying. At 
night I walked back two miles to the ship, among 
the dead and dying Burmans strewed over the battle- 
field. That was a terrible day, and I thought con- 
tinually of our suffering disciples. After all, their 
sufferings had hardly begun. The great Burman 
army was shattered into fragments, and now, in 
groups of from one to three hundred, they were 
ravaging the country, burning the villages, slaughter- 
ing the cattle and robbing the people. I took up my 
abode in an old building, having a great number of 
idols in it. Having cleared out the idols and cob- 



254 Kincaid 



webs, one large room was converted into a chapel. 
A Karen deputation found me the third day after the 
great battle ; and then there was coming and going 
in one continued stream. The Bnrman disciples, 
also, came in from their various hiding places, and 
with them many other Burmans took refuge under 
mv building." 

In the following June, Mr. Kincaid was again 
joined by his family from Maulmain, and, having set 
things in order, every department of missionary work 
moved on as they never had seen it before. The 
people's hearts were softened like wax. The arm 
of the Lord was made bare, and they had Pentecostal 
seasons almost every week. 

" In our missionary work," said Mr. Kincaid, " we 
have every encouragement to labor in season and out 
of season. We have baptized every Lord's day since 
the middle of July, and the whole number up to the 
present time is sixty. From several villages where 
we sent preachers and school teachers, we have cheer- 
ing accounts. Two entire villages have sent off their 
poongyees, turned their buildings into chapels and 
school-houses, and sent to us a request to be taught 
the ways of God more perfectly. As soon as the war 
closes, there should be missionary stations at Danabo 
and Prome, two families for each. 

TTithin a few days past we have buried two of our 
Christian women, one of them the oldest member of 



The Hero Missionary. 255 

the church. As near as we can learn, she was ninety- 
three years of age. Till the very last she retained 
her mental powers remarkably. She possessed much 
faith, and spoke often of her desire to depart and be 
with Christ. At our last communion season she was 
borne to the chapel, and at the close expressed her 
joy at being once more permitted to unite in this 
holy service. Five members of the church have died 
within the year." 

Writing about this time to Mr. Marshman, of Se- 
rampore, editor of the Friend of India, he said : — 
" The principles of Christianity have taken deep root 
in the hearts of some 12,000, and through these a 
large amount of moral influence is brought to bear on 
some 20.000 more. Our churches are found scatter- 
ed all the way from the seaboard to Prome. We 
have now at school in this city two hundred and fifty 
young persons preparing to go back to their villages, 
some to teach school and others to labor as evange- 
lists among their countrymen. About forty native 
preachers are now supported by congregations over 
the country. The intelligence of recent events in 
Burmah has aroused to new energy the friends of 
missions in America, and I have no doubt but we 
shall be well sustained by having true and faithful 
men sent to our aid. I hope to see churches raised 
up along the whole line of this river to the Hukang 
ralley. Then we shall stand on the borders of west- 



256 Kincaid 



era China and on the npper waters of the great 
Cambodia, and can reach by our boots and our 
preaching untold millions in the centre of eastern 
Asia. I almost wish that I had been born thirty 
years later in the Christian era, so as to see Chris- 
tianity pouring its light over these vast regions. 



The Hero Missionary. 257 



CHAPTER XXI. 

SETTING UP THE STANDARD AT PROME. 

Go through the gates ; prepare you the way for the people ; cast up, cast 
up the highway ; gather out the stones ; lift up a standard for the people." 

Isa. lxii. 10. 

" Fear not, shrink not, though the burden 
Heavy to thee prove ; 
God shall fill thy mouth with gladness, 
And thy heart with love." 

1 

For many years the city of Prome, occupying a 
position midway between Rangoon and Ava, had been 
regarded as one of the most promising centres of mis- 
sionary labor in the Burman empire. The gospel 
was first preached there by Dr. Judson, in 1830, and 
with an encouraging prospect of success, but after a 
residence of a few months, he was peremptorily or- 
dered away. From that time to 1853 but little effort 
had been made to spread the knowledge of Christ 
among its 50,000 idolatrous inhabitants. In the be- 
ginning of that year, we find Mr. Kincaid taking up 
his abode there, and, in strong faith, laying his plans 
for its evangelization. By the kind assistance of the 



258 Kincaid 



quarter master general of the army, he succeeded in 
obtaining possession of two monasteries, with a zayat 
immediately contiguous to the highway, and on Lord's 
day the 22d of January, he held his first public reli- 
gious service. Much to his joy he soon ascertained 
that a Burmese Christian had anticipated him, and 
was already " holding forth the word of life," having 
nightly gatherings of the people at his house, to whom 
he read and explained the Scriptures. This man was 
one of the converts baptized ten years previously by 
Mr. Kincaid in Arracan, and was now in the employ 
of the assistant commissioner at Prome. He had en- 
tered into this service on the express condition that 
he might be allowed to spend a part of his time daily 
in giving religious instruction to his countrymen. 
From him Mr. Kincaid received a considerable amount 
of important information relative to the state of the 
public mind, and the best means of presenting before 
the people the claims of Christianity. 

" Religious services," said Mr. Kincaid, " are held 
every Lord's day, at 11, A. M., in the chapel in the cen- 
tre of the city. The congregation numbers from one 
hundred to one hundred and fifty, who are attentive 
listeners. Besides these, there are sometimes nearly 
a hundred comers and goers, who listen outside all 
around the chapel. After the regular services have 
closed, many of the hearers usually remain, and oth- 
ers also come in The disciples scatter themselves 



The Hero Missionary. 259 

among them ; and, collecting in little groups of five 
or ten, commence, in a conversational way, to lay be- 
fore them the claims of Christianity ; there they re- 
main for an hour or two. This is often a time of 
great interest, and much excitement, as all are en- 
gaged in conversation. Sometimes a reference is 
made to the ' law and the testimony ;' and the large 
quarto Bible is taken from the bamboo stand and 
placed on the floor, where it is read, passage after 
passage, by some one of the native assistants, and 
then explained in the hearing of all. 

The assistants occasionally have meetings at their 
houses, in the north part of the city, and by this 
means the light of the gospel is spreading in their 
neighborhood." 

The first fruits of the gospel at Prome were three 
converts, baptized February 22. In July, the number 
had increased to thirty-eight, and there were very 
many inquirers, not only in Prome, but in the neigh- 
boring towns and villages. In one village, ten miles 
distant, there were seven converts, and the entire 
village had abandoned their Budhist priests. Appli- 
cations for preaching were received from other direc- 
tions. Excursions had been made to large cities, 
sometimes by the missionaries, accompanied by the 
assistants, and sometimes by the assistants alone. At 
Keaugen, forty miles below Prome, with a population 
of sixty thousand, multitudes gave ear to the gospel. 



260 Kincaid, 



In January there were four churches, including two 
Karen, and the near promise of a fifth, where five 
converts had been baptized, and there were several 
hopeful inquirers. The whole number received to 
baptism was about eighty, residing in ten or twelve 
localities, distant from Prome, in opposite directions, 
from twelve and thirty-eight, to ninety miles. Two 
of the baptized were from Ava, who came for the 
purpose of learning more of the way of life. Seventy 
members were enrolled on the records of the Prome 
church, of whom, twenty-one were Karens. 

In a letter dated Prome, February 7, 1855, Mr. Kin- 
. caid says : 

" We intend soon to make Tau-yet, forty-five miles 
north of Prome, one of our principal stations. It is 
four miles below Meaday, the frontier English fortress, 
and is rapidly becoming a large town. Innumerable 
villages cover the country in the rear of Keyau Gen. 
This we shall also make an important centre. We 
have encouragement to hope that three men, a short 
time since baptized, will become laborers in the Lord's 
vineyard. They are men of fair natural talents and 
a good education, and are studying the Scriptures day 
and night, so as to be able to teach others the things 
of the kingdom. One of the most encouraging fea- 
tures in the work of grace in Prome is the large pro- 
portion of gifted men and women, who are hopefully 
converted. There is one, and often there are two 



The Hero Missionary. 261 

public meetings every evening in the city, conducted 
mostly by Ko Dway and Moung Pau-te. Very often 
the place is crowded, and not unfrequently some are 
obliged to go away for want of room. Moung Kauye, 
Moung Myat Poo, and Keyau Gen are almost con- 
stantly going from village to village, and from city to 
city, preaching Christ. If, within a few months, the 
Lord gives us three more evangelists, we shall be able 
to enlarge our field of active labor. In a few days I 
intend going north, and I hope to preach Christ -in 
every city and village as far as Ava. Every week we 
have inquirers from northern cities, and we must 
heed the Macedonian cry. 

Our hope and prayer is that the Lord will raise up 
laborers to reap this great harvest. I feel oppressed 
beyond utterance, when I look over this wide field 
and see what is to be done. It is important that we 
employ all the sanctified talent within our reach, for 
evangelizing these cities and villages.' 7 

Writing six months subsequent to this, he says — 
" The word of grace is still onward. Several have 
been baptized within a few weeks, and among them 
one Chun, the first Christian of his race. Another 
Chun is a candidate for baptism. The Yoma moun- 
tains are inhabited by this people for hundreds of 
miles. They are evidently a branch of the great 
Karen family. 

Our congregation on the Sabbath varies from one 



262 Kincaid : 



hundred and fifty to two hundred. The church is 
preparing to build a good teak chapel during the 
coming dry season. They are subscribing liberally 
for the purpose. 

Our Karen field is large to the northeast and south- 
east ; and the spirit of inquiry is increasing. We 
have baptized over forty Karens, and are instructing 
eight for teaching schools in the villages, and two for 
assistants more particularly. Karen chiefs are often 
coming in and asking for school-teachers : but we 
have only one man who can read his own language. 
We hope to have ten more soon. There is a wide 
spirit of inquiry among this people, and the coming 
cold season I intend visiting two or three scores of 
their villages. We have disciples now in four cities 
between this and Ava." 

But this religious prosperity was not confined to 
Prome. In every direction the influence of the gos- 
pel was spreading, and converts were multiplied in 
all the adjacent towns and villages. That which 
gave special and preeminent interest, however, to 
the work of grace at Prome, was that it included an 
unusual number of Burmans. Thus while the aggre- 
gate of baptisms at the close of the year was one hun- 
dred and sixty-one, more than one hundred were re- 
ported as Burmans. 

" Full many a day in faith and prayer 
Where heathen feet have trod, 



The Hero Missionary. 263 



Thou'st labored with a fathers care 
To point their souls to God. 

And what joy thy spirit felt, 
When at the Saviour's feet, 

"With thee the anxious heathen knelt, 
God's mercy to entreat ; 

Or when beneath the yielding wavo 

Of Irrawaddy's tide, 
Burmah's dark sons allegiance gave 

To Him, the crucified. 

Go on, dear servant of the Lord, 
And still his love proclaim. 

Till Burmans all may read his Word, 
And praise his holy name." 



264 Kincaid 



CHAPTER XXII. 

IN FAVOR WITH THE KING. 

" Seest thou a man diligent in his business ? he shall stand before kings." 

Prov. xxii. 59. 

" Let us then, be up and doing, 

With a heart for any fate ; 
Still achieving, still pursuing, 

Learn to labor and to wait." 

Though Ava was the field to which Mr. Kincaid 
had been specially designated, various circumstances 
conspired to delay his going thither, and, while wait- 
ing for a favorable opening, he had been led, as we 
have seen, to devote himself to missionary labors in 
Rangoon and Prome. During the month of Septem- 
ber, 1855, however, he was called upon by a messen- 
ger from the king and heir-apparent to ascertain 
when he intended to make his visit to the Royal 
City. Subsequently he received repeated messages 
from the court, which had now been removed to 
Ummerapoora, offering boats and men to take him 
and his family up, and also to furnish him with a 
house. Encouraged by this indication of good feel- 



The Hero Missionary, 265 

ing on the part of his majesty, Mr. Kincaid, in com- 
pany with Dr. Dawson, decided to make an experi 
mental visit to the Capital in the early part of the 
ensuing year, — this time being selected in view of 
the fact that they wonld then meet the Chinese and 
Shan caravans, and thereby have an opportunity of 
sending books widely over the northern and eastern 
provinces. 

The journey to the Capital was begun on the 24th 
of March and accomplished on the 11th of April, 
some time having been spent on the way in visiting 
the most important villages and towns. Ummera- 
poora is situated a short distance above Ava, con- 
taining a population of 300,000 souls, and may be re- 
garded, perhaps, as one of the finest cities in the 
Empire. The streets are broad and clean, and some 
of them are five or six miles long. On the north 
side of the city is a beautiful lake, and the cocoanut 
tamarind, mango and other trees, are to be seen in 
abundance. 

One of the first things Mr. Kincaid did after get- 
ting his things out of the boat, was to dispatch the 
two native assistants, Ko En and Moung Pau-te, to 
seek out the members of "the little church which was 
formerly in Ava. After a search of more than half a 
day, they found one individual, by the name of Ko 
Shway-nee, — and no language could express the feel- 
ings excited both ir him and his teacher at again 

12 



266 Kincaid 



meeting. " Amid all the trials and struggles/' says 
Dr. Dawson, " to which he had been exposed, during 
the long period of seventeen years, his faith and hope 
as a Christian have remained unshaken. Many a 
bitter blast of temptation, of persecution and of 
worldly scorn has swept over his soul, and in the 
loneliness of his lot he supposed that God had for- 
saken him. But, casting away all fear, he has fought 
the good fight of faith and remained steadfast in 
Christ. When he heard that teacher Kincaid had 
arrived, his heart was filled with gladness, and down 
^iis furrowed cheeks flowed tears of joy ! Of the old 
members of the Ava church, three of the venerable 
and aged had gone to their home in heaven. Others 
had left the city and settled elsewhere. A brother 
of Ko Shway-nee's wife had for a long period been 
an inquirer, and by gradually receiving instruction 
from his relative and looking to the Saviour for guid- 
ance, he finally settled down in the conviction that 
he was a Christian. His case was particularly inter- 
esting, inasmuch as it showed that God sometimes 
honors a very humble instrument to convert the 
heart of an unlettered Burman. This man proposes 
to accompany us down the river to Prome, where he 
wishes to be baptized. We rejoice in this first trophy 
of redeeming grace which has now become known to 
us, in the golden city of Ummerapoora." 

At first considerable effort was made on the part 



The Hero Missionary. 267 



of a Jesuit priest and some of the officers to awaken 
prejudice in the king's mind against the missionaries, 
but all their devices signally failed, and in a few days 
they were sent for to go up to the palace. " To at- 
tempt any description of this magnificent establish- 
ment," says Dr. Dawson, " would require more time 
and space than I am now able to give it. It will 
suffice to say that it is built almost entirely of teak 
wood, lacquered, carved and gilded in a manner to 
make it an exceedingly imposing structure in the 
eyes of a stranger. Over the throne-room projects 
a spire, at once gorgeous and attractive. The height 
of it is probably about two hundred feet. The wings 
of the main building represent the figure of a cross. 
Next to it is the treasury, containing the crown- 
jewels ; back of it is the garden ; on one side is the 
royal tower, surmounted by a cupola ; farther on is 
the royal stud, and at its side stands the palace of 
the ' white elephant.' Within the same enclosure 
are the arsenal and sheds for a great many guns. In 
front is a spacious building, constructed in the same 
style as the palace, known and occupied as the king's 
court. Here sit the woongees, or ministers of state, 
hearing and deciding cases, and administering laws 
which affect the entire kingdom. Surrounding the 
whole establishment are three walls, the outermost 
being a wooden palisade ; the others are of brick. 
Our first interview was with two of the At-wen- 



268 Kirvoaid: 



woons, or privy councillors, to whose private office 
we were led by Mr. Anthony Camarata, the collector 
of government customs. These functionaries re- 
ceived us with much friendliness, bade us sit down 
on the floor, and inquired into our business with the 
king. Mr. Kincaid mentioned that he lived in Ava 
during the reign of Noung-dau-pra, and left the capi- 
tal soon after the accession to the throne of Thur-ra- 
wadi. We had now come simply to pay our respects 
to his Majesty, and to ascertain whether we might 
come up hereafter, and take up our abode near the 
* golden feet.' Several other inquiries were then 
made of both of us, as to our particular professions, 
the kinds and cures of different diseases, surgical 
operations on tumors, on the limbs, and on the eyes ; 
and other things pertaining to medicine. Appearing 
rather pleased, the two privy councillors rose, and, 
after adjusting their dress, said they would go up into 
the palace to see whether the king was at leisure, and 
requested us to remain for the present where we 
were. A crowd of people that thronged the office 
now broke away, and the officials passed out. 

At half-past twelve, the collector called for us, re- 
• marking that the king was unengaged. Dropping 
our shoes at the bottom of the steps, we walked up, 
and were at once ushered into the royal presence. 

His Majesty, the king of Burmah, was now before 
us! 



The Hero Missionary. 269 

His age is about forty-one ; his height is five feet 
seven inches. He is full and fleshy, without being- 
fat, has a large, well developed head, particularly in 
the frontal region, and a noble brow. His counte- 
nance is pleasing, expressive of a thoughtful mind, 
cheerful temper and benevolent heart. He wore a 
rich silk ' patso' round his waist, but he had neither 
jacket nor head dress. His long black hair was roll- 
ed up into a knot at the top of his head. His features 
and complexion are of the ordinary Burman type. 

Seating ourselves on the floor, as did everybody 
except His Majesty, and throwing our feet back into 
a most awkward and painful posture, with our hands 
upraised, we made our bow in the usual fashion ob^ 
served at this court. The king nodded, as indicative 
of recognition. About thirty persons were in the 
chamber, who sat around in a semi-circle, and four 
sword-bearers, with their swords before them. The 
monarch was seated on a crimson velvet carpet, 
fringed with silk, and spread out on the elevated 
floor of the adjoining, but open apartment. A bol- 
ster reposed against one -of the gilded posts of the 
room, against which the king reclined as he saw fit. 
"We were formally introduced by the privy council- 
lors as two American sayahs, (teachers,) one of whom 
(pointing to me) has some knowledge of medicine. 

His Majesty opened the conversation by inquiring 
our object in coming to the capital. Fearing some 



270 Kincaid: 



impropriety in the expression of court terms and 
mode of address — words which are seldom or never 
pronounced in free America — we replied, mostly 
though not entirely, through Mr. Collector Camarata, 
that we had come up to present our respects to the 
king, and to get his authority to move up to the capi- 
tal by-and-by with our families. He asked what we 
proposed doing ? Our answer was, ' To instruct the 
people, to have a school for children, and to open a 
medical dispensary for the sick and suffering.' He 
then inquired how far America is from Burmah, how 
*ong it takes sailing vessels and steamers to make the 
passage out, the geographical situation of the conti- 
nent of America, of Europe, and of various countries. 
He next spoke about the political relations existing 
between France and the United States, between 
France and England, and between England and 
America. Had England and America ever been at 
war ? ' Yes, twice.' ' TThat was the result of those 
wars V We replied, ' The American people got what 
they wanted. The first war obtained for them their 
independence ; the second procured for them justice 
in regard to their commerce on the seas.' ' Have 
you a king in America, or what form of government 
have you there?' 'The government of the United 
States is a republic, — all the officers being elected by 
the people. The president, or chief magistrate, is 
elected every four years.' He shook his head, when 



The Hero Missionary. 271 

told that the president is so frequently changed, and 
remarked that it was not a wise arrangement. He 
wished for information about the war now in progress 
with Russia, and the views entertained concerning it 
in the United States, — ' because/ said he, { not being 
mixed up in it, they would speak the truth. 7 He 
next asked, whether our coming up to his capital, 
and residing in it, would affect our political relations 
with our own government, or our right of citizenship 
in the United States. ' Not in the slightest,' we re- 
plied. He then inquired, ' Whether, if he wished us 
to go — one or both of us — to America upon his busi- 
ness, we would be willing to do so.' We answered 
that if his Majesty urged us to proceed to the United 
States on any important national business, for a short 
season, we could hardly refuse : that we would of 
course go ; but we hoped the king might have no 
reason for such a step. 

He now repeated his question about the object of 
our visit to Ummerapoora, intimating somewhat 
pleasantly, that merchants, he knew, wished to acquire 
property and riches, — that scientific travelers passed 
through the country to observe its formation, and to 
notice curious and striking natural phenomena ; there 
are others, whose design is not quite so clear, or cre- 
ditable. By the latter class he evidently meant to 
say ' spies' — whose object is disreputable. This was 
the hardest remark that he made, and we could not 



272 Kincaid : 



fail to allow the credit of it to the wily Jesuit. We 
answered as before. ' But/ continued the king, 'Bur- 
mese children do not desire to study English.' We 
replied, that we never intended to teach them Eng- 
lish ; that there were a few foreigners' children who 
might wish to study it, but the Burmese ought to be 
taught knowledge ; and there was a great deal of use- 
ful knowledge to learn. He then wanted to know 
when we would come up. We informed his Majesty 
that we could not leave our present stations at Prome 
and Rangoon, before other men from America should 
come to take our places. We hoped it would not be 
long, and that we should certainly, if Providence per- 
mitted, return again, at least to remain for a short 
period, during the next cold season. Turning to his 
officers on the opposite side, he observed, ' The white 
races are generally learned people ; they are fond of 
books.' 

The king now spoke about commerce, and said that 
he wished to encourage trade as much as possible. 
He requested us to write to the newspapers in Ame- 
rica, and to inform our fellow-citizens, that he would 
do every thing in his power to promote trade. He 
hoped merchants would come and settle in his king- 
dom, that he would afford them every opportunity to 
obtain riches. We promised that we would make 
known his Majesty's sentiments. Mr. Kincaid offered 
to send him regularly the ' New York Weekly Tri- 



The Hero Missionary? 273 

bune/ There are foreigners here who can translate 
it for him. ' He would be glad to see it, for/ said he, 
1 we can rely on it for particulars about the Russian 
war/ 

His attention was next directed to a ' free-will offer- 
ing' of books, which we had taken for the king's ac- 
ceptance. He inquired what they were ? We told 
him, calling out the names, — the ' Historical Instruc- 
tor/ translated into Burmese by Mr. Stevens, for the 
government schools at Maulmain ; a copy of Mr. Stil- 
son's arithmetic in Burmese ; a work by the same au- 
thor on geometry, also in Burmese ; — a little book on 
1 Human Anatomy/ translated by Mrs. Bennett, — and 
a richly bound copy of the Bible in Burmese. Speak- 
ing about books, he advised us to give no tracts or 
books to the Burmese ; it would, he thought, be labor 
in vain. Some observations were now made respect- 
ing Burmese books, when the king remarked, that no 
man could read them all, they were so numerous, and 
not one in fifteen thousand could comprehend half of 
what he did read. His grand uncle, who was the 
most learned man in the empire, the celebrated Mek- 
ara prince, had read all the Burmese sacred books but 
one ; though a most devoted student, he could not 
accomplish so great a task. 

Our interview had now lasted nearly two hours, - 

when his Majesty rose, and throwing his arms across 

his chest, and looking towards us, he said, { If you 

12* 



274 Kincaid : 



have any feelings of regard for me, — in short, if you 
love me, come soon, came soon, and I will pay all your 
expenses/ He then turned, and retired into his pri- 
vate chamber. 

Immediately the officers gathered round to look at 
the books ; but they had scarcely opened them, when 
a lad came out and said, ' The king has sent for the 
books.' Before leaving the palace, we were informed 
that the king was engaged in reading them. /V 

After remaining at the capital about a week, they 
returned to their homes at Pronie and Rangoon, greatly 
encouraged with the prospect of reestablishing the Ava 
mission, and rejoicing that the time had come when 
the gospel might be carried without hindrance to all 
the cities and towns of Burmah. 

On the 2-ith of January, 1856, accompanied by their 
families, Messrs. Kincaid and Dawson again left 
Prome, on a second visit to the capital, where they 
arrived after a passage of twenty-five days. They 
were again received by the king in the most friendly 
manner, and strongly urged by him to take up their 
abode in the royal city. At their first interview with 
the king's brother he proposed committing to the care 
of Mr. Kincaid ten or a dozen young men, selected 
from some of the first families, to be taken to America 
for the purpose of acquiring an education in the 
higher branches of mechanical science ; subsequently, 
however, it was thought best to abandon this scheme, 



The Hero Missionary. 275 

and substitute a literary course at the "Doreton Col- 
lege," Calcutta. 

But while that subject was engaging the thoughts 
of his royal highness, the king's mind was occupied 
with the project of despatching an official embassy 
to the government of the United States. For this 
service his Majesty was pleased to select Mr. Kincaid, 
engaging to pay all the expenses of the overland pas- 
sage and back to Burmah. After some hesitation, 
Mr. Kincaid consented to the arrangement, and, a 
council of State having been held to consider the 
matter, a royal letter was at once prepared, and com- 
mitted to the hands of Mr. Kincaid to be borne to the 
government at Washington. 

In taking their leave of the court, Mr. Kincaid and 
Dr. Dawson were each presented with a silk patso, a 
ring, and a drinking cup, as marks of personal favor 
from his Majesty ; while Mrs. Kincaid and Mrs. Daw- 
son and the children were introduced to the queen 
and ladies at the palace, and were received with much 
cordiality. They gave a copy of the Burmese Bible 
to her Majesty, which was graciously and gladly ac- 
cepted. 



276 Kincaid 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

ON THE KING'S BUSINESS. 
" I rose tip and did the king's business." — Dan. viii. 27. 

u Down the dark future, through long generations, 

The sounds of war grow fainter, and then-cease ; 
And like a bell with solemn, sweet vibrations, 

I hear once more the voice of Christ say ' Peace.' 
Peace ! and no longer from its brazen portals, 

The blast of war's great organ shakes the skies : 
But beautiful as songs of the immortals, 

The holy melodies of love arise." 

Having consented to further the king's wishes with 
reference to the opening of friendly and commercial 
intercourse with the United States, Mr. Kincaid be- 
gan at once to make his arrangements for another 
hasty visit to America. The opportunity of thus 
serving his Majesty was the more cheerfully embraced 
from the fact that the precarious state of Mrs. Kin- 
caid's health seemed, again, imperatively to demand 
a change of climate. But for this consideration, his 
duty to the interests of the Mission would have been 
regarded as altogether too sacred to be neglected 
merely for the performance of a service not likely to 



.•••l.iTnffl 



TJie Hero Missionary. 277 

result in any practical importance. Hoping, how- 
ever, that a visit to his native land would restore his 
companion to her wonted health, he was induced to 
accept the king's appointment ; and, accordingly, 
accompanied by his family, he left Rangoon, and was 
again on his way to America. 

Shortly after his arrival here, he proceeded to 
Washington, and delivered into the hands of the Pre- 
sident the Royal letter with which he had been in- 
trusted, and of which the following is a literal transla- 
tion. It was sealed with the king's seal, and inclosed 
in an elegant ivory box, lined with crimson velvet. 

" His Majesty, whose glory is like the rising sun, 
ruling over the kingdoms of Tho-na-pa-yon-te, Yon- 
pa-de-pa, and all the eastern principalities, whose 
chiefs walk under golden umbrellas — Lord of Saddan, 
the King of Elephants, and Lord of many white Ele- 
phants — whose descent is from the royal race of 
Alompra, — also the great Lords and officers of State, 
ever bowing before his Majesty, as water lilies around 
the throne, to direct and superintend the affairs of 
the Empire — 

Send salutations to the President and great officers 
of State residing in the city of Washington, and 
ruling over many great countries in the continent of 
America. 

His Majesty, whose shadow, like that of his royal 



278 Kincaid 



race, falls over the entire kingdom, desires to govern 
so as to promote wise and useful regulations, such as 
the greatest of rulers has ever made it his study to 
accomplish. His Majesty is aware that it has always 
been the custom of great rulers to be on terms of 
friendship with other nations, and to pursue measures 
tending to perpetual amity. 

As the American Teacher, Rev. E. Kincaid, has 
come to the royal city, without hindrance, and he has 
permission to go in and out of the Palace when he 
pleases, and has permission to look on the royal coun- 
tenance, he will be able to address the President of 
the United States, and the great officers, on all sub- 
jects pertaining to the government and kingdom of 
Burmah. Should this royal kingdom and the great 
country of America form a friendly intercourse, there 
is on our part the desire that the two great countries 
through all coming generations may cultivate friendly 
relations — and that the merchants and common peo- 
ple and all classes may be greatly benefitted. Foi 
this purpose this royal letter is committed to Mr. 
Kincaid. Should he be charged with a letter from 
the President and great officers of State, to bring to 
the royal city of Ava, for his Majesty and the court, 
and should the President and great officers say, Let 
the two countries be on terms of friendship, and that 
our children and grand-children, and all merchants 
and the common people, may through all generations 



The Hero Missionary. 279 

reap great advantage — should such a message come, 
it will be heard with great pleasure." 

To this letter the President prepared a respectful 
and appropriate reply, committing the same, with a 
large number of valuable national publications, to the 
care of Mr. Kincaid, to be delivered to the king. 

The duties connected with this civil service were 
soon and easily accomplished. There were other 
matters, however, of an ecclesiastical character, which 
demanded his attention, and which were not so easily 
adjusted. 

For a number of years serious difficulties had been 
known to exist between some of the Executive Com- 
mittee, at Boston, and a large number of the Mission- 
aries. These difficulties had now become so involved 
as to require a full and clear statement of all the facts 
in order that the integrity and honor of brethren in 
the foreign field might be vindicated. As one of 
their number — bound to each by strong fraternal 
ties, and familiar with all the points involved in the 
several cases — Mr. Kincaid came forward and stood 
nobly for their defence. 

In his earnest vindication, as published* will be 
found the principles for which Mr. Kincaid contend- 
ed, as well as the motives which prompted him to 

* This vindication appeared originally in the form of letters in the columns 
of The American Baptist and Christian Chronicle. These letters were subse- 
quently issued in the form of a pamphlet. 



280 Kincaid: 



take so conspicuous a part in this vexed and still un- 
settled controversy. 

Let it here suffice to say, that the views set forth 
in that vindication, were not reached in haste, nor 
were they advanced in a retaliative spirit of contro- 
versy. From the beginning of his missionary life he 
had boldly contended with all his prominent associ- 
ates in labor, that the relationship subsisting between 
God's ambassadors who are sent to the foreign field, 
and the religious organization through which they 
derive their support, is not that of "principal and 
agent, employers and employed ;" but strictly one of 
" brotherly equality" a relationship requiring them to 
look upon each other as fellow-laborers in the gospel. 
Hence, when the claim was officially put forth that 
" the authority of the Board is absolute" and when that 
authority, through the Executive Committee, issued 
instructions demanding " acquiescence" — under the 
claim of an "absolute" power — a power never conceded 
by the missionaries, and which they could not com- 
ply with except at the costly sacrifice of their indivi- 
dual responsibility, — Mr. Kincaid felt himself bound 
to protest against such usurped authority, claiming 
for himself and for his brethren the right of "recipro- 
cal direction" and contending that no change should 
be made by either party without " the consent of the 
other." 

In advocating this principle, Mr. Kincaid was led 



The Hero Missionary. 281 

to speak of particular instances in which he beleived 
it had been openly violated. Alluding for instance, 
to the case of Mr. Yinton, who was regarded as re- 
fractory, in having without authority removed from 
Maulmain to Eangoon, Mr. Kincaid, after fully ex- 
plaining the circumstances which led to that impor- 
tant change, concludes by saying — " Did ' Mr. Yinton 
go to Rangoon on his own responsibility V One thou- 
sand Karen Christians called him to * come over and 
help them.' Humanity with imploring voice called 
him ; above all, the Providence of God, in clear and 
distinct language, called him to the work. Dare he 
sit still, and say to these suffering Karens, and to 
weeping humanity, and above all to the Providence 
of God, ' Let me first go and obtain permission from 
those who claim dictatorial power over me V Dare 
he so insult the Providence of God, and mock the 
entreaties of God's suffering people ? Shall he say 
that he is a hireling and careth not for the torn and 
scattered flock ? Did ' Mr. Yinton go to Rangoon on 
his own responsibility V Shame, shame on such gross 
and fabulous statements. Never, since the day that 
Paul was called into Macedonia, has there been a 
clearer case of duty to go in the name of Christ. Had 
it been my case, under similar circumstances, no op- 
position on the part of man would have been regarded 
as of the slightest moment. I should have brushed 
them as cobwebs from my path. What power is that 



282 Rincaid : 



which thrusts itself between the ambassador of Christ 
in a heathen land, and the God of missions ? "What 
power is that which claims to keep the consciences 
of men who are planting churches on heathen shores?" 
To the exercise of this power, claiming the right 
to give direction, but resisted by several devoted and 
successful missionaries, Mr. Kincaid ascribes all the 
difficulty which has for years disturbed our missionary 
operations. It is this, he contends, that has subjected 
them to the grave charge of " disregarding regula- 
tions" and " setting at naught instructions"; and im- 
pressed with the danger and evil consequent upon 
such an assumption of power, he says — " The cry of 
1 insubordination/ ' disregard of regulations/ ' setting 
at naught instructions/ is the cry of desperation. — 
Oppression has caused a revolt, not against regula- 
tions, but against outrage and wrong. Regulations 
are never knowingly disregarded. Oppression arouses, 
in self-defense, all but abject slaves." And then he 
adds — " Let any man or set of men be armed with 
dictatorial power, and there may be the exhibition of 
a strong government, to carry any measure, however 
unwise, to silence every murmur, however reasonable, 
and to crush all opposition, however just, as Louis 
Napoleon put France under his feet. Let every sub- 
ject of importance be thoroughly ventilated and sifted. 
Let discussion, untrammeled by threats, be invited. 
Let all the aids of testimony, and the lights of expe- 



The Hero Missionary, 283 

rience and history be invoked. Let opinion grapple 
with opinion. This will be the most precious guar- 
anty for the avoidance of evil, the security of sacred 
rights, and the preservation of truth. If infallibility 
is ascribed to one set of men, in such a sense as to 
require all their official acts to be sanctioned without 
examination, then a principle has been adopted ab- 
horrent to Protestant Christianity." 

The fearless avowal of sentiments like these had 
the effect, of course, to awaken, in some quarters, no 
little opposition, and not a few were disposed to re- 
gard their utterance in the light of a crime worthy to 
be treated as ecclesiastical treason. But neither fear 
nor favor could for a moment influence him to with- 
hold the declaration of his honest convictions ; and, 
with the same frankness and manliness which has 
marked his whole life, he has not hesitated to speak 
what he believed to be the truth, nor shunned the 
responsibility assumed in resisting what he has felt 
to be an encroachment on the Christian liberty of 
himself and his missionary brethren. 

As on his two former visits to America, Mr. Kin- 
caid's earnest addresses were everywhere listened to 
with the deepest interest, and his moving appeals in 
behalf of the perishing heathen never failed to meet 
with a cheerful and liberal response. But in addition 
to the service rendered to the general cause of mis- 
sions, he was successful, through the voluntary con- 



284 Kincaid : 



iributions made at the close of his last public efforts 
in Philadelphia and New- York, in raising a fund of 
about a thousand dollars, which was judiciously ex- 
pended in the purchase of a large assortment of edu- 
cational works, and also of a number of astronomical 
instruments for the use of the Karen schools at 
Rangoon. 



milxiTffl 



The Hero Missionary. 285 



CHAPTER XXIY. 

OVERLAND TO BURlfAH. 

' Behold, the third time I am ready to come unto you ; and I 'will not bo 
rurdensome to you : for I seek not yours, but you." — 2 Cor. xii. 14. 

" Burmah ! shrouded in tho pall 

Of error's dreadful right ! 
For wings — for wings once more to bear 

To thy dark shores the light." 

On the second day of August, 1857, Mr. Kincaid, 
.eaving his family behind him, again set out for Bur- 
mah. With the view of visiting Mrs. Kincaid's rela- 
tives in Scotland, he embarked for Glasgow, arriving 
there after a pleasant passage of fifteen days from 
New- York. Between four and five weeks were pro- 
fitably spent in journeying through Scotland and 
England, and in both countries he received a most 
cordial welcome, and was frequently called upon to 
address very large assemblies on the subject of 
missions. 

While in London, Mr. Kincaid embraced an oppor- 
tunity of hearing the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, at Surrey 
Garden, and the following extract from a letter, ad- 



286 Kincaid 



dressed to the Rev. N. Brown, D. D., will convey to the 
reader his impressions of that remarkable preacher, 
and, also, his views of church music — a topic at the 
present time exciting no little interest. 

" The great edifice," he says, " with its three galle- 
ries, one above the other, and running round the 
entire building, was crowded to its utmost capacity. 
The sermon was plain, deeply practical, and deliver- 
ed with an earnestness and pathos that held that vast 
assembly so still, that it seemed as if each one held 
in his breath. He drew such a picture of man's 
moral helplessness, and God's amazing grace and 
power to save, and pointed out so clearly man's utter 
ruin, and the revealed arm of Jehovah to save the 
penitent, that he certainly washed his hands of the 
blood of souls. The singing was almost overpower- 
ing. When that ocean of people rose and sung, 
' Grace, 'tis a charming sound,' it seemed as if the 
windows of heaven were opened. This seemed like 
worshiping God, like making melody in the heart 
unto the Lord. How unlike this is an organ and a 
choir, making music for a sitting, silent congregation. 
To me it seems anti-christian. The noblest and most 
heavenly part of divine worship is handed over to a 
machine and a few hirelings. Why not hand over 
the praying to a few hirelings ? It is time to amend 
our ways, and come back to the simplicity of the 
gospel." 



TJie Hero Missionary. 287 



Upon leaving England, Mr. Kincaid took what is 
known as the Overland, or Mail Route, to Calcutta, 
and some account of this passage, abounding as it 
does with information and incident, is here transfer- 
red from his journal : 

Southampton, Oct. 20. — After breakfast I came on 
board the Indus. Every cabin is full, and at Malta 
we are to take on board two hundred or two hundred 
and fifty soldiers. We have passengers for Malta, 
Alexandria, Bombay, Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta, Bur- 
mah, Penang, and China. There are about thirty 
ladies, and all the rest officers and civilians. Lord 
Dalhousie with his two daughters are going to Malta 
to spend the winter. He recognized me as soon as I 
came on board, invited me to sit down, and we had a 
long conversation. He had learned long since that I 
had been to Ava, and that the king had been very 
cordial. Captain Maxwell, from Prome, is on board ; 
he was engineer under Forlong. Several other offi- 
cers have come up and called me byname. Some of 
them knew me in Rangoon, and others in Prome and 
Thayet. 

Oct. 21. — Early this morning the mail steamer from 
Alexandria passed us. We have had a strong wind 
all day, with some rain ; not more than half the pas- 
sengers were at breakfast, and about the same at din- 
ner. We are in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, and 
the sea is high. 



288 Kincaid 



Oct 22. — Still in the Bay of Biscay. The weather 
is fine, but the sea is high. Only two ladies out at 
breakfast, and about half the gentlemen. There are 
four in my saloon, a room twelve feet square, and a 
table in the centre. Very comfortable. Then we 
have a small room adjoining, with a table and two 
couches. There are four rooms, with twenty passen- 
gers, all officers and surgeons but myself, and this 
saloon is for our exclusive use. The dining saloon 
above us is ninety feet long, and has two tables the 
entire length, and still there is not room for all the 
cabin passengers. We have tea or coffee at six in 
the morning, breakfast at nine, tiffin at twelve, dinner 
at four, and tea at eight. My health is excellent, and 
I am able to read and write all the time. Just now 
there is a heavy, rolling sea, and it is not very easy 
writing. By morning we shall be on the coast of 
Spain, and escape this heavy swell. 

Oct. 23. — This morning at nine we were on the 
coast of Portugal. A lofty range of mountains are in 
full view. We do not stop at any port in Portugal. 
The wind is strong from the land, and is cold. There 
is but little sea, and the sun shines through a pale, 
nazy atmosphere. 

Oct. 24. — This morning we are close in shore, about 
one mile distant, and are passing the mouth of the 
Tagus. About twenty miles up is Lisbon, the capital 
}f Portugal. There is a fine, broad entrance, and 



AAxlAllirf 



The Hero Missionary. 289 

beautiful high, hills on each side. Four ships are just 
coming* out to sea. One old castle is in sight, which 
was formerly used as a summer palace. 

Lord's Day, Oct. 25. — This morning about ten, we 
were entering the Straits of Gibraltar. First we 
passed Cadiz, only two or three miles to the west, 
and soon the high coast of Africa rose gradually on 
the east. At eleven o'clock we had public worship, 
conducted by an Episcopalian clergyman. He did 
not attempt to preach, only read the service. At 
two o'clock we had the coast of Africa and of Europe 
close to us. Tangier is the largest sea-port of Mo- 
rocco, the kingdom of the Moors, who once governed 
nearly all Spain. At half-past three we came to an- 
chor in the bay of Gibraltar, about half a mile from 
the vast rock, which is supposed to be the strongest 
fortress in the world. The town is more than a mile 
long, and now in the evening, lighted up with gas, 
looks extremely well. The rock is so abrupt that the 
streets and houses can all be seen, one above the 
other. Yast excavations are made in the solid rock 
at different heights, where batteries of the largest 
sized guns are placed so as to sweep, with a whirl- 
wind of balls, shot and shell, the whole bay and the 
low sand plain which connects it to the Spanish main- 
head on the north-east side. The town has a popu- 
lation of seventy thousand, who are nearly all Span- 
iards and Maltese. On the Spanish side are three 

13 



290 Kincaid : 



small towns in sight, built of stone, which look very 
pretty among the distant hills. A few miles below 
Gibraltar is the narrowest part of the straits, where 
Europe and Africa come within eight or nine miles 
of each other. We stop here six or seven hours to 
take in coal, and put off the mail. 

Oct. 26. — This morning about eight, the snowy 
mountains of Sierra Nevada stood out in awful gran- 
deur. They are said to be 12,000 feet high. The 
snowy ridges glisten in the sun beautifully. I should 
not think we were more than twenty miles distant 
from the coast of Spain. The coast of Africa is not 
in sight. Algiers is not far distant. This afternoon 
we are nearly opposite Carthagena. 

Oct. 27. — On getting up this morning I found we 
were close to the African coast. Low ridges near 
the water, and then a succession of higher and still 
higher ridges back. Often we appear to be only two 
or three miles from the shore. Here and there smoke 
is curling up among the hills, and groups of cottages 
are seen, and now and then boats in the bays. A 
little after noon we pass the bay of Algiers, but so 
intercepted by hills that the city is now visible. The 
country along here for several hundred miles is now 
governed by France. Algiers is the capital, and a 
large sea-port. The country joins Morocco on the 
south. For many generations Algiers was the great- 
est place for pirates in the world, and thousands of 



laIuuIV 



The Hero Missionary. 291 



Europeans and Americans were captured, held in 
slavery, and made to work in irons. Popery and 
Mohammedanism have been the curse of this country. 
Before and after the Christian era, it was one of the 
most enlightened and prosperous countries in the 
world. A pure Christianity spread over all the 
coast of Africa, bordering upon the Mediterranean, 
but Popish dogmas gradually extinguished the light. 
Schools were declared to be a curse ; ignorance, 
superstition and priest-craft following in rapid suc- 
cession. 

Ten o'clock, P. M. — We are now getting near the 
countries where Paul and his fellow-laborers toiled 
and suffered. What a burning shame that our mis- 
sions in Greece, and France, and Africa, have been 
abandoned. Did we conduct missions in harmony 
with the spirit and genius of the gospel, the windows 
of heaven would be opened, and the churches at home 
would be like an army with banners. As it is now, 
we can expect little of the divine favor. 

Oct. 28. — This morning we were still near the coast 
of Africa, and the sea for two days and nights has 
been as smooth as a pond. About sundown we were 
leaving the coast, and at ten in the evening we pass- 
ed close under the island of Geta, two or three miles 
long, and having three or four islands much smaller 
near by. They are said to be of volcanic origin. 
The weather is becoming warm, and very fine ; a 



E\:::c.-J . 



gentle breeze from the African coast, bnt only a rip- 
ple on the water. 

Oct. '29. — T >morrow morning early we expect to 
be at Malta, and there will be bnt little time for writ- 
ing. I will dispatch this from that island, and wi 
again from Alexandria. At times a feeling of sad: 
and gloom comes over me. bnt it does not last long. 
The promises of God are precious, and in every exi- 
gency he will be a present help. 

Evening. — About three o'clock we passed cl< 
nnder an island called Pontenella. It is some thir- 
teen or fonrteen miles long, of considerable breadth, 
and is cultivated like a garden, almost entirely with 
grapes. It is the penal settlement of Xaples. King 
Bomba sends all his state prisoners here. It is 
[ yaed the larger part of the convicts are among the 
best men of the State. A 12 ore cruel, brutal despot^ 
ism does not exist probably in the world. 

MdUot Oct. BO. — I have spent seven hours on shore. 
Viletta is the name of the town, built entirely of 
cream-colore 3 sandstone. The stree:- are extremely 
narrow, many of them not more than ten or tw 
feet broad, and most of them are named after some 
saint, from the Roman calendar. The buildings are 
from three to four stories high : the population is 
about twenty thousand. The language is Arabic, 
somewhat modified and mixed up with Italian. There 
is a harbor on each s::~^ :: :Lr : is r^arlv 



The Hi ff. 293 

surrounded by water, so that it is almost an island. 
It is a vast rock, rising many feet above the water. 
and above this rises a high wall of hewn stone, brist- 
ling in every direction with large gnns. It is per- 
haps the strongest place in the world, after Gibraltar. 
St. John's church, built by the Knights of Malt 
the most remarkable edifice on the island. The roof 
is one vast arch of hewn stone, and entirely covered 
with paintings, intended to illustrate many even: 
Scripture history. The walls also are covered with 
similar paintings. The great altar in the centre 
transept is a masterly work ; it is built of onyx and 
agate, topaz and lazuli. Behind the altar is a sculp- 
ture, as large as life, of Christ and John the Baptist, 
made from one piece of marble. John the Baptist is 
represented as pouring water from a large shell, on 
the head of Christ. There are several small chapels 
at right-angles with the main building, and all con- 
nected by a lofty arched way. All have their altars, 
sculptures, paintings, candlesticks and candles. All 
the candlesticks are of silver, and in the main build- 
ing, before the high altar, they are about six feet 
high. The floor is made of sepulchral marble ak 
with various figures inlaid in mosaic work, in every 
variety of marble. It is the most remarkable build- 
ing of the kind I have ever seen. It was built by 
the knights in the feudal ages, and is a monument of 
the darkness and superstition of those ages. 



294 The Hero Missionary. 

Alexandria, Nov. 2. — All last night we had on only 
half steam power, as we should reach the harbor be- 
fore morning, bnt could not enter, as the channel is 
intricate. I was up by the earliest dawn. At first 
onlv a light from a loftv tower was seen, soon the 
faint outline of the coast became visible, next the 
palace buildings of the Pasha, on a point of land near 
the light-house tower. Soon the sun rose from the 
ocean and revealed the Nile, the city, the harbor 
crowded with ships, the forts bristling with guns, and 
several large men-of-war, and innumerable wind-mills 
along the coast as far as the eye could reach. In the 
distance Cleopatra's Needle, and a little farther in- 
land Pompey's Pillar. After we entered the harbor 
we had a near view of many objects of interest. The 
anchor was no sooner down than large boats, rilled 
with Egyptians and Abyssinians, came on each side 
of the ship, and began at once to carry off the bag- 
gage. Over these laborers were several grave, gen- 
tlemanly Turks and Arabs, neatly and even richly 
dressed. These men took an account of all the bag- 
gage of the passengers, and all the cases of military 
stores. After breakfast, the passengers took boats 
and went on shore, about one mile, and repaired at 
once to the office, and obtained tickets for transit 
through Egypt, across the desert to the Red Sea. 
About 11 A. M., the cars started, a very long train. 
The road for forty mil *s runs along the Tiletta branch 



The Hero Missionary. 295 

of the Nile. Here we crossed that branch, and what 
seemed to be a section of the bridge, worked by 
steam. Soon after crossing we entered a town of 
considerable size, where we had dinner, furnished by 
the Transit Company. After an hour we started off 
again, and every five or six miles passed through 
large villages or towns. The country is a dead level. 
Camels are seen in every direction ; they are used 
for irrigating the land and also for carrying the pro- 
duce to market. 

Every town, and almost every village is surround- 
ed by a wall made of bricks. All the buildings of 
the common people are made of sun-dried bricks, and 
only eight or ten feet square, many of them much 
smaller, and often made in the . form of a bee-hive, 
with a small entrance. The land appears to be ex- 
tremely fertile. The buffalo, such as we see in Bur- 
mah, is extensively employed in farming, but they 
are much smaller. Donkeys are used for riding, and 
even for carrying loads. Frequently I saw a camel 
and a buffalo yoked together ploughing. I saw vast 
fields of Indian corn, but it seems to be sown and not 
planted, and is small. The wheat harvest, and also 
that of peas and beans, is passed long since. Oranges, 
sweet limes, and pomegranates are in season. The 
pomegranates are three or four times larger than I 
ever saw in India, but the oranges are inferior. Cab- 
bages and potatoes are abundant, but inferior in 



296 Kincaid 



quality. Turks, Arabs, Greeks, and Armenians ap- 
pear to be the great men, and to hold all the offices. 
The Egyptians and Copts are the laboring classes, 
and are in the lowest condition of servitude. There 
are also multitudes of Arabs and Abyssinians equally 
degraded. The distance between the high and low 
classes in Egypt is vastly greater than in Burmah, or 
even in Bengal. At 7 P. M. we entered Cairo, but 
many miles before reaching the city, we saw the far- 
famed pyramids, that is, the four within the neigh- 
borhood of Cairo. They are about four hundred 
feet high. From the sea-shore up to Cairo there are 
very few trees, except date trees, and these appear 
to be only twenty-five or thirty feet high. 

Cairo, Nov. 3. — There are three hotels in the city, 
and they were nearly full when we arrived. The 
steamers from Calcutta, Bombay, and Australia, had 
come in to Suez, and all the passengers, or nearly all, 
had crossed the desert, and filled the hotels. Large 
numbers of us had to sleep on couches and benches 
— some on the floor ; and all the floors in Egypt are 
flag-stones, and rarely even covered with mats. 
About 9 P. M. we had supper, and then many of us 
took a walk through several streets. The atmos- 
phere is wonderfully clear, and the moon rose beau- 
tifully, almost light enough to read any print. I 
slept on a couch without a pillow or a blanket, but 
my Scotch plaid did me good service, for it became 



The Hero Missionary. 297 

cold before morning. Before sunrise scores of Arabs, 
with donkeys saddled, filled the whole space around 
the hotel. A very large number of the passengers 
took each a donkey and rode off to see the bazaars, 
the citadel, palace, and Pasha's Mosque. It was 
ludicrous enough to see the large, tall officers mount- 
ed on those little animals, not much larger than some 
of the goats I have seen in India. The fortress or 
citadel stands on a hill some two hundred feet above 
the town, and the view from its ramparts enables one 
to see the great desert on each side of the Nile. Ex- 
cept the narrow valley watered by the Nile and the 
canals, all is desolation, as far as the eye can reach. 
I went all over the mosque and the palace. They 
are built of Egyptian marble, unlike anything we 
ever see in America or England. The bazaars are 
much as we see them in Calcutta, only they are built 
of stone, and the second and third stairs jut out so 
that only a small opening is left for light to come into 
the narrow street below. At every step almost I 
met long lines of camels loaded with every conceiva- 
ble article of use or of merchandize. Great numbers 
were loaded with building stone, and I should think 
each one carried five hundred pounds weight. They 
lie down like an elephant, to be loaded and unloaded, 
and I should think they were equally strong and do- 
cile as elephants. Carts and oxen are not used. I 

saw officials, Turks and Arabs, riding in English car- 

13* 



298 Kincaid 



riages with five horses and showy harness. There 
are a considerable number of costly buildings, but 
the gr,eat mass are low, dirty, miserable abodes. I 
saw one school of about forty boys. The oifly light 
and air came through the doorway ; the boys appear- 
ed to be from eight to fourteen years old. Old mats 
and gunny bags spread on the stone floor, made their 
seats. They all sat cross-legged on their mats, each 
one with a small coarse paper manuscript containing 
a few passages from the Koran. Simultaneously 
they all read in a peculiar sing-song tone, all as if by 
machinery heaved their bodies backwards and for- 
wards, their heads nearly touching their books. Is- 
lanism appears to be all that is taught, and fanaticism 
of the worst character is fostered. The moral and 
intellectual condition of Egypt is as low perhaps as 
it can be. An iron despotism is everywhere visible. 
Absolute power, unmodified by any public opinion, has 
crushed out all sense of manliness ; beings made 
only a little lower than the angels are converted into 
mere animals, like beasts of burden. The curse of 
heaven rests upon this land. 

Suez, Nov. 5. — I reached this place last evening 
about midnight, and am in the only hotel in town. — 
The waters of the Eed Sea wash the stone steps on 
the eastern side. Back of the hotel lies the town, 
surrounded by a stone wall— one of the dirtiest and 
most miserable looking towns I ever saw. We left 



TJie Hero Missionary, 299 

Cairo yesterday about 11 o'clock, A. m., in the cars, 
and were soon in the Great Desert. The railroad is 
excellent, and is completed to within thirty miles of 
Suez. Nothing can exceed the utter desolation of 
the country, after leaving the Valley of the Nile. — 
No green thing is to be seen ; there is no flower to 
1 waste its sweetness on the desert air.' The desert 
from the Nile to the Red Sea is not a dead level ; 
the railroad is occasionally cut through elevations 
from five to ten feet, and in many cuttings I noticed 
a fine brown soil, and in several places layers of clay. 
This shows that only water is wanting to convert the 
desert into a rich, fertile country. True, some parts 
are only sand and pebbles. Occasionally I saw sand 
ridges many miles long, and thirty or forty feet high. 
These ridges all run east and west, and this shows 
that the strong prevailing winds are north and south, 
by the appearance of these sand-drifts. The strong 
and terrible winds which sometime sweep the desert 
are from the south, that is from Abyssinia. About 
forty miles from Cairo is a palace of the Pasha of 
Egypt, also several other buildings near it, and about 
two miles from the railroad. The Pasha with his 
court retires to this desert-palace when the plague is 
desolating the cities of the Nile. Every ten or fifteen 
miles is a building, and two or three scores of Arabs, 
with their small tents ; these Arabs in case of any 
strong wind clear the sand-drifts from the rail. Here 



300 Kincaid 



also is water in large iron tanks brought from the 
Nile, and coal to supply the locomotive. We saw 
several caravans of camels loaded, and moving on 
over the desert. They are truly called the ships of 
the desert ; no other animal could live in such a des- 
olate region. About 3 o'clock p. M., we came to the 
end of the railroad ; here are three or four tents 
about sixty feet long and thirty broad, with tables 
and chairs to accommodate one hundred and fifty to 
sit down at their meals. Another tent to accommo- 
date fifty or sixty second class passengers. There 
were in all about three hundred passengers. One 
freight train came in last night, and another will be 
in to-night. The scene at this place is novel and in- 
teresting. Some three thousand camels with their 
saddles on were lying or standing in groups, in every 
direction, ready to be loaded with baggage, mails and 
military stores. You may fancy the amount to be 
carried on camels from this to the Red Sea, about 
thirty miles, when these two hundred passengers 
have from three to six trunks each, and these trunks 
average one hundred pounds each. Then there are 
all the mails for Bombay, Ceylon, Madras, Calcutta, 
the Straits, and China. As the boxes lie on the plain 
they seem to be enough to load a three hundred ton 
vessel with the mails alone. Then there are fifteen 
hundred boxes of silver, nearly one million pounds 
stealing, for the army. It is said the silver alone will 



The Hero Missionary. 301 

load a thousand camels. There are sixty thousand 
pairs of boots for soldiers, in fifteen thousand boxes, 
one thousand rifles in two hundred boxes, and besides 
all these, a vast amount of military stores. At half- 
past four, a hundred and eight passengers were sent 
off in eighteen vans, that is six passengers in each 
van. Each van is drawn by a pair of mules, and a 
pair of small horses. Two Arabs mounted on horses 
go along to keep the vans together. Every five miles 
the teams are changed, and at each place is a stone 
building, with a large court in the centre, where 
water, straw, and peas are kept for the animals. This 
water and provender is brought from the valley of 
the Nile. At half-past 8 p. m., one hundred and eight 
more passengers were sent off, and I was one of them. 
Till 10 o'clock it was very dark ; then the moon rose 
and shed a beautiful, soft light over the desert. On 
our right, the whole distance to the sea, runs a broken 
range of hills, said to be from three to four hundred 
feet high, solid masses of rock. Our Arabs drove 
furiously, except in low places where sand had drifted. 
Occasionally for half a mile we seemed to be almost 
buried in the sand, and then again we would roll 
along on a smooth, hard surface, like a macadamized 
road. In several places we saw caravans of from one 
to two hundred camels. Each Bedowin has from four 
to seven or eight camels. He rides or leads one, and 
then the next, with a long cord, is tied to the saddle, 



302 Kincaid: 



and so on to the end, all following in single file. An 
Arab with eight or ten good camels will carry from 
four to five thousand pounds weight. All these in- 
habitants of the desert call themselves the children 
of Ishmael. For three hundred years they have been 
the same people, unchanged except by becoming the 
followers of Mohamet. During some four or five 
hours in the desert, waiting for the vans, I went 
around among these Ishmaelites, sitting in groups 
among their camels, to observe their features, the 
expression of the countenance, their conversation, 
and manners. I would have given anything to have 
been able to converse with them. I saw some noble 
features. Why is there not in all Christendom one 
or two men to consecrate themselves to the work of 
evangelizing this people? At first view it might 
seem hopeless, but I do not believe there is any insu- 
perable obstacle in the way. Human wisdom would 
find difficulties enough and make mountains of mole- 
hills. In the promises of God there is no exception 
made ; ' streams shall break forth in the desert, and 
springs in the dry and thirsty land.' 

Ten miles before reaching Suez, we saw lights in 
the town and harbor, so level is the desert, and so 
clear is the atmosphere. It was midnight when we 
arrived, and one o'clock when we had supper, and 
then some thirty or more passengers had no bed. — 
During the night about two thousand camels loaded 



The Hero Missionary. 303 

came in, and passengers continued to arrive until 
eight in the morning. 

Nov. 7. — This is the third day we have been in this 
place, and we are to go on board the Hindustan this 
evening. The steamer for Bombay went off yester- 
day. The steamer for Australia that went off two 
weeks ago ran upon a coral reef, about eight hundred 
miles down the Red Sea, and stove a large hole in 
her bows. Being an iron ship, and having water- 
tight compartments, only the part that was stove 
filled with water. After three or four days the tide 
rising, she got off, and has got back to Suez. What 
she will now do is uncertain. About thirty of her 
passengers, and also a hundred soldiers, will go with 
us, at least as far as Ceylon. So we have now in all 
seven hundred and twenty souls. 

Nov. 8. — Just at dark last evening we steamed 
down the gulf of Suez ; both coasts are in sight all 
day, and often a very narrow channel, only seven or 
eight miles broad. About sundown we had a fine 
view of Mount Sinai, on the Arabian coast. On the 
other side was Nubia. When the wind blows from 
the African coast the heat is fearfully oppressive. — 
All is wild, desolate, and barren. 

Nov. 13. — For three days we saw no land, except 
two or three vast rocks rising almost perpendicular 
from the sea. But yesterday and to-day we have 
passed great numbers of islands, and some of them 



304 Kincaid 



very high. This afternoon we passed along within 
two or three miles of the Arabian coast, while the 
African coast is only a few miles distant. In the nar- 
rowest part of the channel is Perim, a small island 
where the English have sunk an Artesian well and 
found water ; their flag is now flying, and they are 
building a small fortress. It is admirably situated to 
command the entrance to the Eed Sea. It is only 
some seventy miles above Aden, where we expect to 
be to-night." 

Without following Mr. Kincaid in all the subse- 
quent details of his journal, it may suffice to say, that 
upon reaching Aden, one day was required to take 
in coal. This afforded a very favorable opportunity 
of seeing the town. It contains a population of 
20,000, and is not particularly interesting, being 
chiefly remarkable for its barren, bluish-colored hills. 
The houses are built of bamboo, and on a foundation 
of sand. Four miles in the interior is the Turkish 
wall, where the British military force is situated. 
The next stopping place in the voyage was at Cey- 
lon. Here, also, a day was very pleasantly spent. 
This island is not only a bustling, business-like place, 
but one of extraordinary beauty, and hence, styled 
by the natives a " terrestrial paradise." It is situ- 
ated in the Indian Ocean, near Cape Cormorin ; is 
270 miles long, 150 broad, and has a population of 
1,130*000 souls. In the interior there are several 



The Hero Missionary. 305 

cities and towns, one of which (Candy) contains a 
public library, erected on pillars, and built in a lake. 

Off the northwest of Ceylon is a great and valuable 
pearl fishery. The natives are of Hindoo origin, and 
under British rule, are fast advancing in cultivation 
and wealth. 

Once more on the deep, and four days brought 
them before Madras. This is the capital of the pre- 
sidency of that name, and is situated in the Carnatic, 
on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. So low is the 
shore here, that a landing can only be effected in na- 
tive barges, called massoollah boats. These are well 
manned, however, and so skillfully handled that 
they dash with safety through the heaviest surf. 
The population of the city is between four and five 
hundred thousand. 

Three days more on ship board, and they enter the 
mouth of the river Hooghly, and after steaming 100 
miles, they drop anchor before Calcutta — the city of 
palaces, and the capital of British India. It is up- 
wards of six miles in length, extending along the 
river's bank. The population is about 600,000, and, 
like the other principal cities under British rule, of 
a very mixed character, affording the stranger no 
Email amount of amusement in the way of costume 
and physiognomy. Many of the houses are tall and 
stately, with verandas and Grecian pillars. Behind 
the front lines of mansions is the native town, with 



306 Kincaid 



dirty, narrow streets, dirty natives — all more or less 
naked — ghastly religions mendicants, showy marriage 
processions, and sounds of creaking wheels and dis- 
cordant voices. From the quay, built by Lord Has- 
tings, we may see all this, and also the vessels of 
every shape and size from all parts of the world ; 
while near the banks are hundreds of Brahmins, say- 
ing their prayers and washing in the deified river. 

Mr. Kincaid landed in Calcutta late on Saturday 
evening, the 5th of December. He says in a letter, 
dated Dec. 8, " It was just three months from the. day 
I left New York to the day I landed in Calcutta, and 
I spent thirty-three days in England, five days in 
Egypt, one day in Aden, one in Ceylon, besides stop- 
ping a few hours at Gibraltar, Malta and Madras, so 
that I made the voyage in little less than fifty days." 

After spending two weeks in Calcutta, during which 
time several interviews were had with Dr. Duff and 
other missionaries, Mr. Kincaid again embarked, arri- 
ving in Rangoon toward the close of December. In 
a letter from him, bearing date of January first, he 
states that he was then about starting for Prome, in- 
tending, after visiting the churches there, to proceed 
up to Ava. He had just learned that his Majesty 
had been anxiously inquiring when he was to return, 
and that a rumor had reached Rangoon that the king 
had turned all the priests out of the city, and that he 
was constantly reading Jesus Christ's book. 



The Hero Missionary, 307 



CHAPTER XXV. 

RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT. 

" He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them 
the heritage of the heathen." — Ps. cxi. 6. 

" Are there not signs, 
Thunders and voices, in the troubled air ? 
Do ye not see, upon the mountain tops, 
Beacon to beacon answering ? Who can tell 
But all the harsh and dissonant sounds which long 
Have been — are still — disquieting the earth, 
Are but the tuning of the varying parts 
Por the grand chorus, which shall usher in 
The hastening triumph of the Prince of Peace ! 
Yes ; his shall be the kingdoms. 

* * # * * * 

E'en now the symphonies 
Of that blest song are floating through the air — 
Peace, peace on earth, and glory be to God." 

In looking back over the period of Mr. Kincaid's 
Labors, how changed is the moral aspect of the people 
among whom he has gone preaching the gospel ! — 
When he entered the field, Burmah had, as it were, 
but just heard the name of Christ, and the number 



308 Kincaid : 



of conversions from heathenism was comparatively 
small. For several years, amid many privations and 
bitter persecutions, the first devoted band of Mission- 
aries had sought to prepare the way and to lift up a 
standard for the people. At that time the measure 
of missionary spirit in the churches was very limited, 
and many felt but little confidence in the success of 
the efforts that were making for the salvation of the 
heathen. " They had but little to rest on," said one 
of their number, " except the command and promise 
of God." The faith of many faltered. The work 
advanced but slowly, and so numerous were the im- 
pediments thrown in the way, both at home and 
abroad, as almost to forbode defeat. Dr. Morse, in 
his Universal Gazetteer, published about this time, 
said, under the head of Rangoon — "The American Bap- 
tists have employed two missionaries here ; but, 
owing to the opposition of the Burman government, 
it is supposed they will be obliged to leave the 
country." 

Amid all the trials and discouragements, however, 
which beset those who were first in the field, their 
faith did not fail them, and they were enabled to 
prosecute their work with a joyful and unwavering 
confidence of ultimate success. 

Now, how changed is the aspect of things ! The 
government that then sought to banish Christ's am- 
bassadors, desires to foster them ; and, in the exercise 



The Hero Missionary. 309 



of his royal favor, the king extends to them the free- 
dom of the empire ! 

At home, too, public sentiment respecting Foreign 
Missions has undergone a radical change ; and the 
enterprise has now come to be regarded, as one of the 
noblest that can possibly enlist the sympathies and 
efforts of the Christian church. 

The influence of this work at home, as well as its 
results abroad, are beyond all human computation. — 
That our churches have felt a powerful reflex influ- 
ence from the foreign field, cannot be doubted, and 
it would not be difficult to show that the activity and 
resources of the church owe their development more 
to this enterprise than to all other agencies combined. 
But within the last thirty years what an immense 
amount of good has been accomplished on the field, 
while, at the same time, deep and strong foundations 
have been laid for the achievement of still larger re- 
sults. The entire Bible has been translated into the 
language of the people — books have been prepared — 
schools established — churches organized — the Gospel 
has been preached in almost every part of the empire, 
and thousands of souls have there been brought to a 
saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. With 
these facts before him, and in the exercise of strong 
faith in God, Mr. Kincaid might well write — " The 
mission in Burmah cannot be overthrown ; it is found- 
ed upon the Rock of Ages ; the gates of hell cannot 



310 Kincaid 



prevail against it ; the prayers of God's people have 
been heard. The gospel of Christ in its blessed re- 
velations has been preached in thousands of Burman 
cities and villages, from the sea-shore up to the lower 
Himalayas, and in thousands of Karen hamlets. God's 
holy word is read not only by thousands of Karens 
and Burmans of the common people, but in the palace 
of Alompra. There is not only a shaking among the 
dry bones, but the Holy Spirit has been poured out, 
and a great army is standing up on the side of the 
Lord of Hosts. There are ministers of Christ stand- 
ing on those out-posts of Zion's walls, and leading 
forth those converts into the thickest of the war, and 
teaching them how to work for God. No dangers 
can alarm them, no opposition can discourage them, 
and no persecution can crush them. He who said, 
1 Be not afraid ;' ' Lo, I am with you ;' stands at their 
right hand and girds them with strength." 

But cheering as have already been the triumphs of 
the Gospel in Burmah, the day, we are persuaded, is 
not distant that shall witness still greater conquests ; 
and, though before that day dawn, the present race 
of devoted laborers may be in their graves, their suc- 
cessors will certainly see it, and, going forth with a 
sublime faith in the Divine promises, and with hearts 
full of love and zeal for the Divine glory, it shall be 
their great joy to witness the gathering of all the 
people unto Shiloh. 



The Hero Missionary. 311 

Nor will this success be limited to Burmah. The 
enterprise of Christian Missions contemplates not 
the subjugation of a nation, but the conquest of the 
world ; and, looking into the future, we are permitted 
to see cheering evidence that the victories of the 
cross are fast hastening to a glorious consummation. 
Said Dr. Judson, in his farewell address — 

" Judging from the past, what may we rationally 
expect during the lapse of another thirty or forty 
years ? Look forward with the eye of faith. See 
the missionary spirit universally diffused, and in active 
operation throughout this country, — every church 
sustaining, not only its own minister, but, through 
some general organization, its own missionary in a 
foreign land. See the Bible faithfully translated into 
all languages, — the rays. of the lamp of heaven trans- 
mitted through every medium, and illuminating all 
lands. See the Sabbath spreading its holy calm over 
the face of the earth, — the churches of Zion assem- 
bling, and the praises of Jesus resounding from shore 
to shore, — and, though the great majority may still 
remain, as now in this Christian country, without 
hope and without God in the world, yet the barriers 
in the way of the descent and operations of the Holy 
Spirit removed, revivals of religion shall then be- 
come more constant and more powerful. The world 
is yet in its infancy : the gracious designs of God are 
yet hardly developed, Glorious things are spoken 



312 Kincaid. 



of Zion, the city of our God. She is yet to triumph, 
and become the joy and glory of the whole earth. — 
Blessed be God, that we live in these latter times, — 
the latter times of the reign of darkness and impos- 
ture. Great is our privilege, precious our opportu- 
nity, to cooperate with the Saviour in the blessed 
work of enlarging and establishing his kingdom 
throughout the world." 

The promises of God are all pledged to his Son for 
a universal triumph — the field of labor assigned to 
the church covers the entire world, and the prayer 
that is constantly ascending to heaven from the heart 
of every true believer is, that the heathen may be 
given to Christ for an inheritance, and the uttermost 
parts of the earth for a possession. And when this 
prayer shall be answered — when this field shall be 
cultivated — when this pledge shall be redeemed — 
then " He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and 
from the river unto the ends of the earth" — " The 
mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." And — 

" May the hour 
Soon come, when, all false gods, false creeds, false prophete, 
Demolished, the round world shall be at last 
The raercy-seat of God, the heritage 
Of Christ, and the possession of the Spirit!'' 



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